2022 - Marrakech, Morocco

Background

Marrakech is the fourth largest city in the kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco. The city is situated west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Marrakech comprises an old fortified city packed with vendors and their stalls. The Medina quarter is a UNESCO world heritage site. Today, it is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic centre and tourist destination. Real estate and hotel development have grown dramatically in the 21st century.

Highlights 

The eight highlights picked for this vacation are, Jemaa El-Fnaa, Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Jardin Majorelle - Yves Saint Laurent Mansion, Le Jardin Secret, Theatre Royal, exotic food, and excursions.

Jemaa El-Fnaa 

Jemaa El-Fnaa is a square and marketplace in the Medina quarter or the old city. It remains the main square of Marrakech, used by locals and tourists. Inhabitants and tourists gather both during the day and night to have something to eat, shop or observe the various shows taking place.

During the day the square is full of surprising sights, from monkey trainers who have trained the apes to climb all over tourists to snake charmers, as well as dentists that expose the teeth they have recently extracted. It also has numerous stands selling orange juice, spices, mint leaves, and snails. at dusk, the square transforms and the morning stalls disappear to give room to food stands where visitors can have dinner surrounded by Moroccan musicians playing traditional music and various other shows.

Figure 1 - A view of the Jemaa El-Fnaa

Figure 2 - A view of the narrow alleys of the Medina of Marrakech

Koutoubia Mosque

The Koutoubia Mosque was built during the 12th century, during the Hispano-Moresque period known for its simple luxury and masterful craftsmanship, by the Almohad dynasty, they started building Koutoubia in 1150, and it took 40 years to complete.

The prayer hall can accommodate 25,000 worshipers, and Muslims have prayed there since 1158. non-Muslims can enjoy the exterior of the mosque, the pink stone walls with floral motifs, from the rose garden. it is a symbol of Marrakech, and its minaret can be seen from 25 kilometres away, lit up in the evenings, it becomes the city’s “spiritual lighthouse”.

 Figure 3 - The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque

Bahia Palace

The Bahia palace is a 19th-century building, consisting of rooms decorated with stunning stuccos, paintings and mosaics palace and a set of gardens located in Marrakech.

This palace was set up by Si Moussa, grand vizir of the sultan, for his personal use. The palace would bear the name of one of his wives. This palace was intended to be the greatest palace of its time. The name means in Arabic “brilliance”. Like other buildings of the period, it was intended to capture the essence of the Islamic and Moroccan styles.

Jardin Majorelle - Yves Saint Laurent Mansion

The Majorelle is a botanical garden and artist's landscape garden in Marrakech. It was created by the French orientalist artist Jacques Majorelle over almost forty years, starting in 1923, and features a cubist villa designed by the French architect, Paul Sinoir in the 1930s. The property was the residence of the artist and his wife from 1923 until their divorce in the 1950s.

In the 1980s, the property was purchased by the fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge who worked to restore it. Today, the garden and villa complex are open to the public. The villa houses the Berber Museum, and in 2017, the Yves Saint Laurent Museum opened near it.

 Figure 4 - The spring in the heart of the Jardin Majorelle

 

 Figure 5 - A Cubist villa designed by the French architect, Paul Sinoir

 

 Figure 6 - The way to the Yves Saint Laurent Museum

Le Jardin Secret

Le Jardin Secret was in the 19th century one of the largest riads in the Medina of Marrakech and belonged to the chancellor of sultan Moulay Abd-Al-Hafiz, who was the last sultan of Morocco before the French protectorate.

The riad includes two courtyards. the larger of the two has been restored as an Islamic paradise garden, reflecting the pure geometry and Quranic symbolism of its progenitors. The smaller garden shows another view of paradise, as described in the Old Testament book of Genesis, where “out of the ground the lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food.” 

The garden was opened in 2017 and has been the home of some of Marrakech’s most important political figures.

Theatre Royal

Inside its impressive 1200-seat open-air theatre and 800-seat opera house, the theatre hosts a variety of national and international cultural events including opera, ballet and musical performances. The majority of these performances are in Arabic or French. the entrance hall often houses a variety of painting, sculpture and photography exhibitions.

This has been built by a Tunisian architect, Charles Boccara; the theatre combines the traditional aesthetic design of Arabic architecture with traces of modern influence. The imposing dome and grand marble pillars provide an immediate sense of awe which is matched by the interior entrance hall and auditorium.

 

Figure 7 - The Theatre Royal in Marrakech

Exotic Food

Morocco’s cuisine is one of the most diverse in the world due to its unique interaction with a variety of different cultures over the last 1000 years. 

Couscous is of course the Berber staple. the influence of the invading Arabs brought spices, nuts and dried fruit. the ottoman Turks introduced the barbecue – or meshwi in local parlance – and the Moors added olives and citrus fruit to this exotic mix. The French left behind their café culture which is still very much part of social life in Marrakech today.

This magical and mysterious blend of cultural influences has created a cuisine that is not only fresh, aromatic and incredibly tasty but also one which promotes good health. Moroccan food is based on whole food ingredients freshly prepared using a subtle blend of herbs and spices for flavour rather than deep frying.

 Figure 8 - A traditional Morrocan beef tagine

 

Figure 9 - A sheep's head in the making in the bustling Jemaa El-Fnaa

Figure 10 - The white snails of Morocco served in a peppery broth called ‘babbouche’

Excursions

A Moroccan hammam consists of a bathhouse with multiple rooms (dry and steamed) for cleaning the body and soul according to the traditional ritual performed by another person. The whole experience involves stripping down, taking a sudsy bath, sitting in a sauna, exfoliating and getting a massage.

A drive into the beautiful Atlas Mountains on a day trip from Marrakech to Ouzoud falls, the highest waterfalls in north Africa. This drives through a landscape of rolling foothills and olive groves, and includes relaxation by the 330-foot waterfalls. More to that, this includes, crossing the river on a hand-powered barge, visiting the cafes at the edge of the water, and the barbary apes that live in the lush river valley.

Desert ventures remain typical, and include rides in 4x4 vehicles, may it be a dune buggy or a quad bike. This can be done also in camels and horses. The rides on horse-drawn carriages are popular all through the city.

 

 Figure 11 - A quad biking experience through the Sahara

 

Figure 12 - The two lonely camels of many, waiting to be ridden

Figure 13 - A horse-drawn carriage through the city