Marrakech is clearly a large city divided into old quarters – the Medina – and the new town – Guéliz.
The focus of the whole city is Djemaa el Fna, a large open space full of entertainers and food sellers at the heart of the Medina. Along the alleyways adjacent to Djemaa el Fna, lie some of the most remarkable landmarks of Marrakech. North of Djemaa el Fna are the souks and the Sidi Ben Youssef Mosque, the main mosque after the Koutoubia. South of Djemaa el Fna, you have the Saadian Tombs and an area full of palaces and the ethnographic museum Maison Tiskiwine.
Another popular sight in Marrakech is the tour of the many gardens. These include the Jardin Majorelle, near Bab Doukkala, the Ménara, a large pool set in a large olive grove and the Agdal, another pleasant olive grove. Across the Oued Issil to the northeast of Marrakech, lies the Palmery dotted with oases.
Djemaa el Fna
Djemaa el Fna: The most famous landmark in Marrakech, where large crowds gather to watch groups of acrobats, drummers, snake charmers, story tellers, dancers and many other performers.
Djemaa el Fna is the most famous landmark in Marrakech, a place sure to involve you so effortlessly you will come back again and again.
It is an open space in the heart of the city where a long-established ritual takes place. Large crowds of onlookers – both locals and tourists – gather around to mingle together and watch groups of acrobats, drummers, snake charmers, story tellers, dancer, comedians and fairground acts.
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The Koutoubia
The Koutoubia: A seventy metres Almohad tower that dominates the Marrakech skyline, rising from the low-rise buildings of the old town and the plains of the north.
The Koutoubia is to Marrakech what the Statue of Liberty is to New York and the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.
Nearly seventy metres in height and visible for miles afar, the Koutoubia is a landmark that dominates the whole of Marrakech, rising from the low-rise buildings of the old town and the plains of the north.
Originally built by the early Almohads, this is the oldest and most complete of three great Almohad towers – the other two are the Hassan Tower in Rabat and the Giralda in Seville.
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The Souks of Marrakech
Marrakech Souks: Vast, colourful and varied, with small squares devoted to specific crafts and products.
The souks of Marrakech stretch immediately after Djemaa el Fna, along Rue Souk Smarine, a long, covered street. At the end of this street are two lanes: Souk el Kbir and Souk el Attarin – Follow the alleyways and you will discover small squares devoted to specific crafts and products.
At first sight, the souks may seem vast and bewildering. However, with a good map it is perfectly possible to navigate the souks on your own. If you’d rather use some help, there are no shortage of offers from guides, both official and non-official.
Almoravid Koubba: The only Almoravid structure still standing in Morocco, with a design that is at the root of all Moroccan architecture.
Opposite the Ben Youssef Mosque, on the southern side of Place de la Kissaria, is the Almoravid Koubba.
At first glance, it looks a very simple building with variously shaped doors and windows. With a closer look, you will understand the significance and fascination of this monument, for it is the only Almoravid building still standing intact in Morocco!
Dating back to the reign of Sultan Ali Ben Youssef (1107 – 1143), the Almoravid Koubba probably formed part of the ablution facilities of a nearby mosque. The style of the monument is at the root of all Moroccan architecture, subsequently used in all Almohad and Merenid designs.
Climb down the stairs to get to the level of the Dome and view its ceilings. Note the unique range of Almoravid motifs – the pine cones, acanthus and palm leaves and the powerful expression of form in the square and star-shaped octagons at the dome’s interior support.
The Marrakech Museum: A magnificient late nineteenth-century palace that houses traditional and contemporary exhibitions of Moroccan art and sculpture.
The Marrakech Museum is housed in a magnificent late-nineteenth century palace, Dar Mnebbi, on the west side of Place de la Kissaria.
The palace was originally built by Mehdi Mnebbi (1894-1908), Moroccan ambassador to London. It was then bought by T’Hami el Glaoui, the famous Pasha of Marrakech during the French protectorate. Restored in 1997, it houses today both traditional and contemporary exhibitions of Moroccan arts and sculpture.
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