Marrakesh

Behind Marrakesh are the Atlas mountains

The Museum of Islamic Art, painted in Majorelle Blue, at the Majorelle Garden

T'hami El Glaoui, the Pasha of Morocco from 1912-1956

The central square of Marrakesh Jamaa El Fna

Marrakesh, or Marrakech (Berber: ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛcode: ber is deprecated ; Arabic: مراكش, Murrākušcode: ar is deprecated ) is an important city in the African country of Morocco. It is the fourth largest city in the country. Marrakesh is the capital of the economic region of Marrakesh-Tensift-El Haouz.

History

Marrakesh is the most important city out of all of Morocco's cities that used to be imperial cities. Berber farmers lived in Marrakesh during Neolithic times. Abu Bakr ibn Umar, the chieftain and cousin of the king of the Almoravids Yusuf ibn Tashfin, founded Marrakesh in the year 1062. The Almoravids built many schools and mosques in Marrakesh. Marrakesh has the name "Red City" because a lot of it is made out of red sandstone.

Marrakesh got bigger very quickly and became a cultural, religious, and trading center for sub-Saharan Africa. The mayor of Marrakesh Fatima Zahra Mansouri is the second woman mayor in Morocco.

Tourism is important to Marrakesh, and the city has about 400 hotels.

Sofitel Hotel, 2013

One of the things that most attract travellers to Morocco and, specifically, to the city of Marrakech, is the endless activities available and especially its variety.

The most interesting and well-known are desert excursions from Marrakech, but in reality, you have many options: we are talking about excursions to the beach. There in the city itself, you do not have them, but there are many beaches near Marrakech that you can visit without much complication.

Marrakesh Media

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  Almoravid dinar 1138 631905

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  Bab Agnaou, the Almohad-era gate of the Kasbah (photo circa 1890)

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  Detail of the Cantiga de Santa Maria #181. The cantiga #181 depicts the successful 1261–62 defence of Marrakesh by Almohad ruler Al-Murtada (with help from Christian militias) from the siege laid on by Marinid ruler Abu Yusuf.

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  El Badi Palace, built by the Saadi sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (16th century)

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  Litography depicting the city of Marrakesh, in 1860 by Évremond de Bérard.

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  The Gueliz district in Marrakech, was established outside the old city during the French Protectorate period (after 1912)

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  The Ourika River valley