Summary: The fourth largest city in Morocco is Marrakesh, a vibrant Berber city situated in the western region of the country. Renowned for its abundant cultural heritage, Marrakesh is filled with art, music, ornate structures, and the lively day and night markets that the city is famous for. During our visit, we enjoyed people-watching, shopping, and admiring some of Morocco's most exquisite architectural sites.
[This blog is part of a 10-days in Morocco Trip].
Marrakesh. This bustling city in Morocco dates back to 1070. Its founder Abu Bakr ibn Umar brought Islam in this Western Sub-Saharan Africa region. The City was ruled for centuries by a series of Berber dynasties. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Portuguese made their way through Morocco, but were never able to take the City. Later, the French colonial period of 1912-1955 left a lasting mark on this City, with French still being a widely spoken language within the City today. This was due in part to Morocco strengthening its ties with France, even after Independence, to help facilitate economic growth in the post-colonial era. Today, throughout Morocco, French is still used in banking, education, commerce, and government administration.
Vibrant storefronts. One immediately noticeable feature of this City are all the bright, decorative storefronts. Everything consists of various splashes of color, which is in stark contrast to the barren Atlas Mountains that surround the City.
Bahia Palace. This 19th Century palace was partially damaged by the recent Al Haouz earthquake that struck the region in September of 2023. Apart from some ongoing rehab of portions of the building, though, much of the palace remains impeccably intact. Visitors that tour this 8000-sq meter palace, get to view several examples of common Moroccan art and architecture.
Making our way across the City. Outside the main market area are streets filled with shops and "classic" cars (the four-legged kind).
Bab Agnaou. Next we passed through this famous gate, which was built in 1188 and still stands, well-preserved today.
Kutubiyya Mosque. From here we visited just the exterior of the Kutubiyya Mosque (remember that almost all mosques in Morocco do not allow non-Islam visitors). According to local legend, the balls were "donated" to the mosque by the wife of Almohad sultan Yacoub Al Mansour. She had melted her jewelry as a form of penance after being caught eating during Ramadan fasting times.
The Medina quarter of the City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes Jemaa el-Fnaa, the main square in central Marrakesh. During the day, tourists can be treated to snake charmers monkey handlers, henna tattoos and other over-priced tourist gimmicks. We didn't make any stops here but instead traveled through to the central Medina area to see the many colorful shops inside.
Sunset. Just before dark, the skyline was dotted with hot air balloons.
Jemaa el-Fnaa at night. We ended our day with returning to the central square to see the markets at night. With residents now off work, the locals packed the markets with music, vendors, and food stalls. This is a "must do," experience since at least for this small-town family, it's not something you typically see on any given day of the week.
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