Casablanca played an important role in African history as soon as it began to develop at the beginning of the 20th century, especially since the 1920s.
Casablanca's street plan is based on that of a French architect named Henri Prost, who placed the center of the city where the main market of Anfa had been. From this point all main streets radiate to the east and to the south. More city plans were developed in 1946, and later in 1984.