Photo taken on Dec. 18, 2013 shows the gate of the old city of Essaouira, Morocco. Essaouira is an exceptional example of a late-18th-century fortified town, built according to the principles of contemporary European military architecture in a North African context. Since its foundation, it has been a major international trading seaport, linking Morocco and its Saharan hinterland with Europe and the rest of the world. Essaouira was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2001.

Source: UNESCO World Heritage: Essaouira