A brief introduction to Marrakesh

The Kingdom of Morocco, situated on the left bank of Tensfit, on the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, caught between snow and dessert, came into existence over 900 years ago. Marrakesh the red city, a place of mystery in times since passed, is today viewed as a positively mythic location. Marrakesh is possibly the most reputed of Morocco's many cities. A cultural hot spot where Moroccan, Berbère and African tribes have lived out their daily lives together in a dazzling array of sound and colour. A city filled with history, Marrakesh has a theatrical feel to it, most apparent in the Jemaa el Fna Square, the gateway to the souks as well as meeting place for the citizens of this vibrant city. The numerous and stunning monuments to be found in Marrakesh tell of its past glory as the gateway to the south and the desert, and despite its close vicinity to the latter vegetation is in abundance. Famous for its public parks, and gardens filled with fruit trees the city’s main arteries were always seen by Moroccans’ as defiance to the arid desert beyond their gates. Marrakesh was founded in 1062 by the Sovereign Aloravide Youssef Ben Tachfine, the greatest King of the Almoravide Dynasty. Traces of this noble dynasty’s reign are still present in the city today: The Ben Youssef Mosque, the Ali BenYoussef Palace, the ruins of Casbah d’Abou Baker, the Bab Aylane Gate and the stunning Palmerier, all bear witness to the enlightened reign of the Almoravides. Durning their time in power the city flourished and prospered, and was given a new lease of life, due mainly to the extensive renovation carried out. The Sultan Abdeloumen Al Mouahidi oversaw the construction of the Koutoubia Mosque, to which his grandson Yacoub El Mansour later added the famous 77 metre high minaret (which has since become the symbol of the city). Legend has it that once the Koutoubia took root in the heart of the city it bled, and as a result all the walls of the city’s residences reflected this ominous red hue which has since become the colour of the Moroccan national flag. A final gesture of this great family was to construct a vast irrigation system for the city with large reservoirs, a final attribute that permitted the harmonious development of the city. After the conquest by the Merinides in 1296, Marrakesh fell into a decline that lasted over two centuries. The city was reborn only when The Saâdien Dynasty came to power (1510 – 1659). Under their reign the city became an epicentre for an artistic explosion of rare refinement the results of which are preserved to this day and include the Saâdiens tombs, and a number of Medina Fountains. Their El-Badii Palace was for a long time considered one of the wonders of the Muslim World, but is now only a shadow of its past glory and only a its vestige remain. The prestige of Marrakesh is due also to the arrival in power of the Alaouites and King My Hassan the first in 1879, who restored the great town walls, the Kasbah as well as ordering the construction of numerous resplendent buildings and Mosques. The city’s rich dynastic heritage is still today omnipresent in the Medina of Marrakesh and it is recognized throughout the world as the capital of the south with a flourishing artisanal activity.