Situated on the western coast of Morocco, Casablanca serves as a thriving seaport and business center, directly facing the Atlantic Ocean. Evidence of its former French colonial occupation is reflected in its central Mauresque design, an amalgam of Moorish form and European art deco. The colossal Hassan II Mosque, which was finished in 1993 and partially extends onto the water, boasts a 210m minaret equipped with lasers pointing to Mecca.