Sunday 9 December 2018

Postcard from Marrakesh, Morocco

Greetings! Last month I took a trip to visit Morocco. My itinerary included Rabat, Volubilis, Fez, Marrakesh, and Casablanca. You might like to read my posts on Rabat and Volubilis here, and on Fez here. 



Today I'm sharing the top eight sights that I've visited in Marrakesh, one of the four imperial cities in Morocco. It is known as the City of Gardens or the Red City.

QUICK FACTS:
  • Marrakesh is located 327 km (203 miles) south west of the Moroccan capital of Rabat.
  • Marrakesh was founded in 1062.
  • The Medina of Marrakesh is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • The population of Marrakesh is about one million.
  • Marrakesh main colour is red sandstone or terracotta. Buildings are not allowed to be taller than the mosque in Marrakesh.

TOP EIGHT SIGHTS IN MARRAKESH (Click to enlarge the pictures):

1. Koutoubia Mosque: Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in the city. It is made of red stone and brick and measures 80 metres (260 ft) long and 60 metres (200 ft) wide. The minaret is constructed from sandstone and stands 77 metres (253 ft) high. The spire atop the minaret is decorated with gilded copper balls that decrease in size towards the top, a style unique to Morocco.

View of Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco

Koutoubia Mosque has inspired other buildings such as the Giralda of Seville in Spain (photo #14 in my Seville post), and the Hassan Tower of Rabat (#3 in my Rabat post).

Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco

2. Saadian Tombs: Saadian Tombs were built in the 16th century as a mausoleum and final resting place for numerous Saadian sultans. The building has three rooms that contain the graves of about sixty members of the Saadi Dynasty. The main room displays fine Islamic architecture with marble columns, mosaic tile work, floral motifs, calligraphy, cedar wood carving, and stucco.

Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco

Outside the building are unnamed graves of soldiers and servants and a garden with orange trees.

Soldiers and servants' graves at Saadian Tombs

3. The Bahia Palace: The Bahia Palace was built in the late 19th century by the Grand Vizier of Marrakesh, Bou Ahmed. Bahia means brilliance.

The Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco

The palace took seven years to build, with hundreds of craftsmen from Fez working on its wood, carved stucco, and mosaic tile. It is a stunning palace that can easily take hours to see all the details.

A ceiling in the Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco

The rooms in the Bahia Palace were designed to capture the essence of Islamic and Moroccan architectural styles. They open to courtyards such as the one in the photo below.

Back courtyard in the Bahia Palace, Marrakesh

4. The Medina of Marrakesh: The Medina of Marrakesh, a World Heritage site, is a labyrinth of small streets and alleyways leading to schools, mosques, souks, and houses. It is protected by the ramparts of Marrakesh, which stretch for some 19 kilometres (12 miles) around the medina of the city.

Built by the Almoravids in the 12th century, the walls are made of a distinct orange-red clay and chalk, giving the city its nickname as the "red city". They stand up to 5.8 meters (19 feet) high and have 20 gates and 200 towers along them. One of the gates is Bab Agnaou Gate. It's now a passage connecting both the medieval and modern parts of Marrakesh.

Bab Agnaou Gate, Marrakesh

5. Jemaa el-Fnaa (or La Place in French): This is one of the best-known squares in Africa. It's a place where there is something to see and do from morning to night. By day, the square buzzes with snake charmers, henna-tattoo artists, and various other entertainers. At night, there are countless food stalls selling traditional dishes and fresh orange juice. It's a busy place so be vigilant of your belongings and surroundings.

Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakesh, Morocco

6. The Souks (or Local Markets): Marrakesh boasts a full medina with traditional winding souks and countless treasures. Whether you're looking for food, cooking ingredients, household supplies, lamps, carpets, handicrafts, or literature, there's a street and alleyway for everything. Visitors can get lost for hours in the labyrinth of captivating streets.

Items for sale, Marrakesh, Morocco

Dried herbs and spices, Marrakesh, Morocco

Items for sale, Marrakesh, Morocco

Hand painted ceramics, Marrakesh, Morocco

Lamps, Marrakesh, Morocco

7. Jardin Majorelle: The Jardin Majorelle (or Majorelle Garden) is a beautiful oasis in a bustling city. It was the creation of French painter Jacques Majorelle, who spent forty years injecting his passion and creativity into this magical garden. He painted the garden walls, fountains, features and villa in a fresh and intense blue colour, for which he trademarked the name Majorelle Blue.

Famed designer Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought Jardin Majorelle in 1980 and restored it. They transformed Majorelle's studio into a museum open to the public, and dedicated to Berber culture. It's now called the Museum of Islamic Art.

Museum of Islamic Art

Fountain in Jardin Majorelle

Similar to the Bahia Palace, visitors can easily spend a few hours at the Jardin Majorelle to enjoy its beauty and tranquillity, as well as visit the Berber museum, and the Yves Saint Laurent boutique that are located in the garden. I've taken many photos in the garden that deserves a blog post on its own.

8. Ville Nouvelle: Outside the ancient walls of the Medina of Marrakesh is the newer part of the city. There are gardens, villas, museums, and shopping centres to explore. The sidewalks are clean and I like the green palm trees that line the main avenues and the red sandstone walls.

During my stay in Marrakesh, I met four American travellers from New York. We shared a horse carriage ride from Marrakesh main square, Jemaa el-Fnaa, to Ville Nouvelle area.

It's easy to find a horse carriage from the square and negotiate the price, just like you would with a taxi. As the horse owner and I conversed in French, he told me that he owned four horses, two of them work the morning shift, and the other two work the afternoon shift.

Horse carriage ride in Marrakesh

Ville Nouvelle, Marrakesh

MY CONCLUSION:

Marrakesh is a very captivating city with its ancient history and architecture. The souks alone offer incredible sights, sounds, smells, and textures. The Ville Nouvelle area seems to have more European presence than Fez, likely due to a large number of French people who have bought properties in the city.

I would have liked to stay longer to explore more sights and the museums in Marrakesh. However, it's time to move on to Casablanca, my last stop in Morocco before heading home. It's been so awesome to visit Rabat, Volubilis, Fez and Marrakesh up to this point on my trip.

What do you think? I'd love to hear your comments.

58 comments:

  1. I love the history and following your travels Natalie. Can't wait to see Casablanca. I just saw a tour of Morocco and think I will mention it to my husband to put it back on our list. Have a great week. xx

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    1. Hi Sue - A tour will simplify the travel logistics for you. Tourism is doing very well in Morocco so go off season if you can to avoid crowds. Have a wonderful week!

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    2. Hi Natalie we usually travel during the off season but thanks for the tip. Great to have you join us at #MLSTL and I'll be sharing on social media. Have a lovely day xx

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    3. Thanks, Sue, for hosting and sharing. Have a great week!

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  2. I'd love to visit Marrakesh someday. Love the photos.

    #GlobalBlogging

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    1. Thanks, Veronica, for your visit and comment. It was a lot of fun to explore Marrakesh.

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  3. The architecture in old Marrakech is just amazing! So many details, so typical Arabic. The Saadian Tombs remind me a bit of the Taj Mahal in India. Interesting that its mostly white as opposed to the red in other buildings of the city. Did you find the souks similar to the ones in the other Moroccan cities? Fascinating destinations, Natalie!

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    1. Hi Liesbet - The souks in Marrakesh were incredible and seemed to be more colourful with their displays than the ones in other Moroccan cities. There are so many of them and each is a visual attraction (or distraction) on its own. I took many photos but had to restrain myself from posting them on my blog, otherwise the post may take forever to load :)

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  4. Great photos and thanks for the wonderful visitor guide!! I hope to get there someday!

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    1. Thank you, Ann, for your visit and comment. I greatly appreciate it.

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  5. Marrakesh looks like such an exotic and captivating country! Must visit someday. #globalblogging

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    1. Marrakesh is exotic and captivating for sure. Thank you for your comment. I greatly appreciate it.

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  6. We are planning a trip to Spain and Portugal next fall and are hoping to make it to Morocco. Your posts have been very timely Natalie. Thanks!

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    1. My pleasure to share my travels, LuAnn. Thank you for reading my post and commenting.

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  7. Hi, Natalie - I love your descriptions of your adventures. I swear that I could smell the spices, and feel the rich textures at the traditional winding souks. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
    Wishing you a safe, happy and peaceful holiday!

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    1. Hi Donna - The souks in Marrakesh were visually captivating. I still have their images dancing in my mind :) Thank you for your ongoing support. I truly appreciate it. I wish you a joyful and peaceful holiday, too.

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  8. I would love to visit Morocco! Thanks for the tour - it has got my wanderlust going xx Maria #AnythingGoes

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    1. Thank you, Maria, for your comment. I hope you visit Morocco one day.

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  9. We visited Morocco (same itinerary as yours) last year and saw the same spots you did in Marrakech, except for the jardin. We thought we'd partake of hammam instead of visiting a garden. Wasn't it fascinating, the whole country?

    Worth a Thousand Words

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    1. Yes, Morocco is fascinating. I'm glad you had a good trip, too. Thank you for stopping by.

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  10. I am enjoying your Moroccan travels vicariously. We loved the Moorish architecture we saw in Portugal and in previous travels in Spain, and the decorative aesthetic.

    Jude

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    1. I find the Moroccan architecture and local decor visually captivating. I'm glad you're enjoying my travel posts. Thank you, Jude, for stopping by.

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  11. Looks fab! The colours in particular give it a special something

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    1. Thanks, Lydia, for your comment. I like the warm terracotta vs. green palm trees, and the spice colours in the souks in Marrakesh.

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    2. The spices must delight the senses - colours and smells

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    3. Yes, and there is a big variety of spices and dried herbs.

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  12. Beautiful shots. One day I want to get to this part of the world.

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    1. Thank you for your visit and comment. I greatly appreciate it. I'll visit your blog shortly.

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  13. So very lovely. I would love to visit there. Thanks for sharing. #MLSTL

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    1. Thank you, Patrick, for your comment. I greatly appreciate it.

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  14. beautiful series of photos.
    have a great day

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    1. Thank you, Tanza, for your visit and comment. You have a great day, too!

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  15. The colours and architecture of Morocco is amazing. I think I must have done pretty much the same tour as you some years ago.

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    1. Thank you, Christine, for your visit and comment. Yes, Morocco's colours and architecture are amazing. Lots of photo opportunities.

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  16. Natalie I've loved this Moroccan series of posts - those blues and the dark pink in the last couple of photos are beyond beautiful. It's such and exotic location and I'm quite envious of your time in Marrakesh - it sounds and looks like a movie set! MLSTL and I've shared on my SM :)

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    1. Hi Leanne - I'm so glad you've loved my series of posts on Morocco. I find the combination of terracotta walls and green palm trees in Marrakesh warm and inviting. Many movie and fashion celebrities have come to Marrakesh and some have bought properties there. Thank you for hosting MTSTL and sharing on your SM.

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  17. Your trips bring me so much knowledge and the photos are wonderful. The colours and ceramic tiles are captivating. Thank you for linking up for #lifethisweek .Next week's optional prompt is....wait for it...Christmas! 2nd last one for 2018. Denyse

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    1. Hi Denyse - I'm glad you enjoy reading my travel posts and the photos. I've learned a lot on my trips. The learning is part of the fun to travel for me. Have a beautiful week!

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  18. Marrakesh looks enchanting, and I am thinking back to how once it was on the hippie trail. I didn't visit then, although I would have loved to, but your hints and tips really make me want to visit now. Thanks for the inspiration and information. #MLSTL and shared on SM

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    1. Hi Jo - Many celebrities have come to Marrakesh and some have bought properties in the city. I really like the warm colours of terracotta walls and green palm trees, and the mix of old and new in Marrakesh. Thank you for sharing on your SM.

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  19. I could almost smell those spices. As for the colour, the architecture, the mosaics, the detail...great pics (as always)...Thanks Natalie.

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    1. Thank you, Jo, for stopping by. I love the cone shaped powdered spices in the souks in Marrakesh. They look fun, colourful, and smell great.

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  20. I’ve always wanted to go there. Thanks for sharing this fabulous photos of a fascinating place.

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    1. You're very welcome, Sally. Thank you for your visit and comment.

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  21. Beautiful photos and I love the architecture and mosaics (I adore mosaics!). #TeamLovinLife

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    1. Thank you, Min. The decorative details in most of the Moroccan sights that I've seen are outstanding.

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  22. Such a colorful place. I almost can imagine all nice smells. I need to visit one day.

    Anna
    www.glamadventure.com

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    1. Thanks, Anna, for your visit and comment. Marrakesh is a captivating city.

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  23. I'm loving the journey you've taken us on so far, Natalie. I don't know when I'll have the chance to visit Marrakesh but your tips and photos will be a great reference when the time comes.

    SSG xxx

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    1. Thanks, SSG, for your comment. Maybe you can add Marrakesh to your list of potential travel destinations.

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  24. Thank you for the beautiful photos and the interesting information, Natalie. I've pinned this to my travel board. #MLSTL

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    1. That's a great idea to pin places of interest to your travel board, Christie. Thank you for reading my travel posts and commenting.

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  25. A fabulous glimpse of this gorgeous place! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you, Betty, for reading my post and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

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  26. What FUN travels! I'd love to visit, but right now I'm using any travel time to visit parents and grandkids in other states. So I'll live vicariously through your travels. Thank you so much for sharing with us!
    MLSTL

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    1. Thank you, Trisha, for stopping by. Your parents and grandchildren must be so happy to see you.

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  27. I've been loving your travel tales. Marrakesh seems amazing. The mix of history and culture are fascinating. I can't wait for Casablanca

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    1. Thank you, Sanch, for stopping by. I'm glad you've enjoyed my posts on Morocco. I like Rabat, Fez, and Marrakesh a lot.

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