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Key Attractions Jemaa-el-Fna (Place of the Dead) The great square of Jemaa El Fna is the centre of medina life both day and night. By day, it is a market and gathering place with stalls selling fresh orange juice, nuts and dried fruit lining half the massive square. From lunchtime onwards, there is a scattering of entertainers and sales people but it is at dusk that it really comes into its own. At 1700, a clatter of carts announces the arrival of the food stalls, which cook up every variety of vegetables, fish and meat. It is now that performers of every kind, including snake charmers, singers, musicians, story tellers and acrobats, fill the square. They are joined by the healers and fakirs with pots of herbs ready to dispense cures for any ailment imaginable. The crowds are mainly Moroccans; this is not a spectacle just for the tourists. It offers a glimpse of medina life that has changed little since medieval times. Visitors should take plenty of loose change to the Jemaa El Fna, as the performers do expect some material expression of appreciation in addition to applause. Photos average out at Dh5 each. Jemaa El Fna is surrounded by cafés and restaurants, perfect places to escape the hustle and bustle by relaxing with a tea, coffee or light meal. Café Argana, Café de France and Café Glacier all have roof terraces with wonderful views. End of Triq El Koutoubia, Rue Mouassine, Rue Souk Smarine or Rue Riad Z El Kedim Transport: All local buses that enter the medina come through Jemaa El Fna including bus 1, 2, 3, 11 or 14. Opening hours: Mid-morning until late at night. Koutoubia Mosque From any approach, the first sight of Marrakech is of the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, which dominates the skyline. Marrakech’s tallest building, it dates from the 12th century and was one of the earliest great monuments that created the classic Moroccan design. Each façade and each arch on the square minaret is different. Originally, it was covered in plaster with each tier decoratively painted, obscuring the intricate carvings of the stonework. Suggestions to restore it have been met with protests with many believing restoration will detract from its beauty. The architecture can be admired at close quarters from the surrounding gardens. These also contain the remains of Almoravid Palace and the excavations of an earlier mosque that was demolished because it was not correctly aligned with Mecca. Avenue Mohammed V Transport: Bus 1. Opening hours: Mosque and minaret closed to non-Muslims; gardens always open to all. Admission: Free (gardens). Majorelle Gardens Privately owned and maintained by the fashion designer, Yves St-Laurent, this botanical garden was created in the 1920s by French artists Jacques and Louis Majorelle. Within the walls, the perfectly manicured gardens, complete with pools, cacti, bamboo, coconut and banana trees, are offset by the blue wash that covers the paths, pavilions and garden walls – the overall effect is one of great tranquillity. The Majorelles’ old studio is now the Museum of Islamic Art. Entrance in side street off Avenue Yacoub El Mansour Transport: Bus 4 from Avenue Mouahidine; petit taxi or calèche. Opening hours: Daily 0800-1200 and 1400-1700 (winter); daily 0800-1200 and 1400-1900 (summer). Museum closed Mon. Admission: Dh40 (gardens); Dh15 (museum); children and animals are not admitted. Saadian Tombs One of the most visited sites in Morocco, the Saadian Tombs were only accessible via the mosque next door so survived in pristine condition until ‘rediscovered’ and opened to the public in 1917. The entrance is down a thin passage leading to an enclosed garden overlooked by two separate mausoleums, with over 100 mosaic-decorated graves scattered around. The principal structures of the tombs were built by Sultan Ahmed El Mansour for himself and his family and date from the late 16th century. There are 66 members of the Saadian royal family buried here altogether, along with a number of retainers and some much older graves whose identity been lost. Within the mausoleum, the rooms are richly decorated, with magnificent domed ceilings, stalactite plaster work, intricate carving and marble pillars. Visitors should expect long queues. Rue de la Kasbah Transport: Petit taxi, calèche or on foot. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1145 and 1430-1730 (closed Tues). Admission: Dh15. El Badia Palace This magnificent ruined palace, whose name means the Incomparable, was built by Saadian king Ahmed Al Mansour in 1578. It was one of the finest in the world, with 360 rooms sumptuously decorated in marble, gold, onyx, ivory, cedarwood and semi-precious stones, surrounding a vast central courtyard of pools, fountains and sunken gardens. It was the venue for parties of global extravagance. In 1696, however, Alouite Sultan Moulay Ismael moved the capital to Rabat, stripping the palace of anything valuable and leaving the towering mud walls to decay. Now it is inhabited by storks and pigeons but is used for two weeks a year as the main venue for the Marrakech Festival. In one corner (for an additional entrance fee) is the magnificent 12th-century minbar from the Koutoubia Mosque. Bab Berrima, off Place des Ferblantiers Transport: Petit taxi, calèche or on foot. Opening hours: Daily 0830-1200 and 1430-1830. Admission: Dh15. El Bahia Palace Consisting of a series of paved courtyards, a harem quarter and Andalucian gardens, El Bahia Palace was built in the 1890s by the grand vizier, Si Ahmed Ben Moussa and passed to his son Ba Ahmed. On the death of Ba Ahmed, the palace was stripped bare by the guards, slaves and courtiers leaving a great empty building. A small section of the palace has been refurbished for the royal family’s visits to the city, when it is closed to the public. Otherwise, the palace can be viewed as part of a guided tour. Rue Riad Zitoun El-Jdid Transport: Petit taxi, calèche or on foot. Opening hours: Daily 0830-1145 and 1430-1745. Admission: Dh10; plus Dh10 tip for the guided tour. |
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