Marrakech

Encyclopedia : M : MA : MAR : Marrakech

Panoramic picture of the Djemaa el Fna square by sunset. Koutoubia Mosque appears on the extreme left. The souks are in the alleys behind the square.

-->

Marrakech's Djemaa el Fna square at midnight.

The modern section of Marrakech.

The Hotel de Ville.

Marrakech or Marakesh (مراكش Murrakush), known as the "Red City or Al Hamra," is a city in southwestern Morocco in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. Its name derives from the word Moor or “Maur” (Marrakech/Murrakush: city of the Moors) like the country Mauritania (land of the Moors). Interestingly, the name Morocco derives from Murrakush. This city is located at [31°37′60″N, 8°0′0″W] and is the capital of the Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz region. Marrakech has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco and also has the busiest square in the entire continent of Africa, called Djemaa el Fna.

Like many North African and Middle Eastern cities, Marrakech has two main divisions: the old city (médina) and the modern city.

Marrakech is served by Ménara International Airport.

Demographics

The official number of residents is one million; however, the population is estimated to be around two millions. The largest part of the population of Marrakech is of Berber origin.

History

Yusuf ibn Tashfin, member of the Almoravides dynasty, founded the city in 1062.

Prior to the reign of Moulay Ismail, Marrakech was the capital of Morocco. After his reign, his grandson moved the capital back to Marrakech from Meknès.

Sites

Areas and neighborhoods

• Médina
• * Casbah
• * Hey Assalam
• Modern city
• * Guéliz
• * Hivernage
• * Semlalia
• * Daudiate

Mosques, medrassas, synagogues and zaouias

• Koutoubia Mosque
• Ben Youssef Medrassa, Ben Youssef Mosque
• Casbah Mosque/Mansouria Mosque
• Bab Doukkala Mosque
• Mouassine Mosque
• Zaouia of Sidi Bel Abbès, Zaouia of Sidi Ben Slimane el Jazouli
• Zaouia of Sidi Youssef Ben Âli
• Sidi Moulay el Ksour Mosque
• Synagogue Beth-El
• Synagogue Salat el Azama
• Synagogue Salat Rabi Pinhasse

Palaces, dars and villas

• El Badi Palace
• Royal Palace (Dar el Makhzen) and méchouars
• Bahia Palace
• Dar Si Saïd Museum
• Maison Tiskiwin
• Dar el Glaoui
• Villa Majorelle at the Majorelle Garden

Cemeteries, koubbas and mausolea

• Saadian Tombs
• * Mausoleum of Ahmed el-Mansour
• * Second mausoleum
• Koubba of Fatima Zohra and Koutoubia Mosque cemetery
• Koubba el Baâdiyin
• Koubba Cadi Ayyad
• Jewish cemetery
• Sidi Abd el Aziz
• Sidi es Souheyli

Handicrafts and business

Selling of carpets in the souks of Marrakech.

• Souks
• * Souk Kimakhin (stringed instruments)
• * Souk el Bradiia (pitchers)
• * Souk Hadaddine (metalwork)
• ** Souk Nahhassine (brass, copper)
• * Souk Chouari (basketry, woodturning)
• * Dyers' Souk, Wool Souk
• * Souk Smarine (clothing)
• * Rahba Quedima ("Old Square")
• * Souk el Kebir (leatherwork)
• ** Kissarias
• ** Souk el Batna (skins)
• ** Souk el Maazi (goatskin)
• * Souk Zrabia (Criée Berbère, Carpet Souk)
• * Souk Fakharina
• * Souk Siyyaghin (jewelry)
• * Souk Smata (slippers, belts)
• * Souk aux tenturiers
• * Cherratine Souk
• * Attarine Souk

Tanneries of Marrakech.

• Tanneries
• Hôtel la Mamounia
• Handicraft center
• Gidel Building
• Renaissance Café
• Société Générale
• Marjane hypermarket

Museums

• Dar Si Saïd Museum
• Marrakech Museum
• Bert Flint Museum at Maison Tiskiwin
• Islamic Art Museum at the Majorelle Garden

Ramparts and gates

• Ramparts
• Gates
• * Bab Debbagh
• * Bab Agnaou
• * Bab el Khémis
• * Bab er Robb
• * Bab el Jédid
• * Bab Doukkala
• * Bab Aghmat
• * Bab Nkob
• * Bab er Raha
• * Bab Aylen
• * Bab Ahmar
• * Bab Ighli
• * Bab Ksiba
• * Bab ech Charia
• * Bab el Makhzen
• * Bab Berrima
• * Bab Taghzout
• * Bab er Rharaza
• * Bab Fteuh

Places and squares

• Place Djemaâ el Fna
• Square Charles de Foucauld
• Place de la Liberté
• Place du 16 Novembre
• Place des Ferblantiers
• Place Youssef Ben Tachfine
• Place Mourabiten

Gardens and parks

• Palmery
• Majorelle Garden
• Ménara Garden and olive grove
• Agdal Garden
• Koutoubia Mosque park at Square de Foucauld

Other structures

• Chrob ou Chouf Fountain
• Convention Center (Palais des Congres)
• Opera House
• Cadi Ayyad University

Fictional Works About

• Marrakesh Express Crosby Stills and Nash
• Marrakech by André Tanneberger
• Marrakesh by New Model Army
• Marrakech by George Orwell
• The Hardy Boys #54 The Mysterious Caravan
• Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much

Non-Fiction Works About

• A Street in Marrakech Elizabeth Warnock Fernea

Born in Marrakech

• Tahar Tamsamani (born September 10, 1980), Moroccan boxer

External links

• [Marrakech entry in LexicOrient]
• from Wikitravel
• [Google Maps]
• [Marrakech at the Magic Morocco]
• [I love Marrakesh] A site featuring nice pictures and history of Marrakesh
• [Marrakech.net] The Official city Guide of Marrakech
• [Photos from Marrakech]

World Heritage Sites in Morocco

From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.