Geographic location :
Marrakech Atlantic territory is in the center of Morocco. It includes part of the High Atlas and covers an area of 31,881 km², or 4.5% of the national territory. The territory is bounded on the north and northwest by the Central Atlantic territory, on the east by the territory Atlas Valleys, south through the territory Souss Atlantic Sahara and west by the Atlantic Ocean.
Historical monuments :
An oasis in every sense.
Ffounded in the 11th century, Marrakech is located close to the desert in southern Morocco. This imperial city was at one time, strategic point for trade merchants who traveled northward through the desert and crossed the Mountains, often snow-capped, in the Atlas. Marrakech was the capital of a empire that stretched from Spain to Senegal, exchanging the gold, salt and slaves to Europe.
Ffounded in the 11th century, Marrakech is located close to the desert in southern Morocco. This imperial city was at one time, strategic point for trade merchants who traveled northward through the desert and crossed the Mountains, often snow-capped, in the Atlas. Marrakech was the capital of a empire that stretched from Spain to Senegal, exchanging the gold, salt and slaves to Europe.
Today Marrakesh is a curious mix between Africa and Europe, the West and the East, Arabs and Berber villages and especially the place where the sub-Saharan Africa meets North Africa. Its atmosphere, its colors, its climate reminder that the desert is not far. And despite all the vegetation abounds; centuries-old palm groves, orange groves, beautiful parks, cacti galore and a flourishing vegetation. Marrakech is also a fascinating ensemblearchitectural, increasingly safeguarded in the Medina, with its beautiful mosques, ancient caravanserais and remarkable palaces that offer the traveler the exhilaration of a envoutementinoubliable. This imperial city appears as a jewel set in the natural setting that form around the High Atlas Mountains.
The Koutoubia Mosque
The Koutoubia Mosque was built in the 12th century by the sultan Almohades Abdel Moumen soon after his conquest of Marrakech. Over time, the Koutoubia Mosque has become emblematic of Marrakech. Koutoubia, literally the "booksellers Mosque" in Arabic, is named after the large number of book dealers and manuscripts that set up their stalls in the immediate vicinity of the building of the 12/13 century. Koutoubia occupies the place of an ancient palace Almohavide and was built following the destruction Due first mosque whose orientation was not facing Mecca. This jewel of the Moorish art has 16 peripheral nerves, nerve center of a wider proportions and the eleven domes. Its luxurious design inspiration Almoravide is magnified by a certain sobriety. The minaret of the Koutoubia inspired the architects of the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. This square tower in stone finely worked rises to a height of 77 meters. The upper facades of the Koutoubia minaret are decorated with ceramic tiles forming different ornaments on each side.
Note the access Koutoubia (like any other religious place) is reserved for Muslims and therefore forbidden to non-Muslims. Western tourists must be content to admire its splendor.
The Jemaa El Fna square
At the heart of the Medina, the Place Jemaa El Fna is the most popular of all Africa and was declared a "masterpiece of the oral heritage of humanity" by UNESCO. Its name means morts' Assembly in memory of the time when criminals were executed and their heads displayed there to serve d'exemple.
Fortunately those days are gone and this site is now the liveliest place all Marrakech!
Jemaa El Fna Square is a huge open-air theater. In only a few day orange juice vendors and dried fruits are at their posts and it was not until the early evening (17h / 18h) to let the party begin. All players then set up on this gigantic stage; there are snake charmers, fortune-tellers of, water carriers, acrobats, dancers and musicians, storytellers d'histoires, monkeys etc ... of carriers and center, dozens of restaurants street settled, creating a huge outdoor barbecue.
Place undeniably retains great power d'attraction and remains the geographical, cultural and social Marrakech.
the Souks
Marrakech has the largest traditional market (souk) in Morocco.
Once the people of Marrakech lived their trade with the Africans and Spaniards who arrived by sea. The gold and ivory came from the south while the leather, wrought iron and pottery went north. Today not much has changed and trade is still the main economic activity of the city. The souks are one of the most fascinating attractions of Marrakech. Divided into trades and specialties (tanners, slippers, copper) they are full of objects. Their seemingly chaotic arrangement is however particularly well and curiously photogenic. Following the creation of a tourist police brigade, there is no danger to venture into the souks. 
Jardins Majorelle
A compulsory destination for lovers of gardens. This green gem was created in 1920 by the French painter Jacques Majorelle, who decided d'entourer his workshop of a botanical garden. We discover a beautiful bamboo forest, a cactus garden with more than 1800 species of banana trees, cactus, tropical flowers and palm trees from the 4 corners of the world, all sharing the space with fountains and water level. Most impressive are the huge masses of red and purple nombreuxbougainvilliers. The Majorelle name stuck and is now the definition of a cobalt blue electrifying inspired houses Berbers of southern Morocco. The former studio of the painter is fully painted that color.
The workshop, partly transformed, now offers an Islamic art museum, a gift shop and a restaurant / snack. Now the fire property French designer Yves Saint Laurent, the garden is open to the public.
Open daily: 8 am to 17h (October to May) and 8h to 18h (June to September)
Address: Avenue Yacoub El Mansour Gueliz.
Entry: 40 dirhams (about € 3.50)
Ben Youssef Madrasa
Medersa Ben Youssef is one of the most interesting and most visited monuments of the city. Built in 1570 by the Saadian dynasty, the Koranic school could hold up to 900 students, that were piled in hundreds of small cells. It was the largest Koranic school Maghreb. The students divided their time between the study of sacred texts (they had to know by heart) and prayer.
The Ben Youssef Madrasa is a wonderful example of the Arabo-Andalusian architecture as it has developed in Morocco in all its maturity. The plan is simple and volumes, precious and refined decor. Everything is in the rightness of proportion and the harmony between the surfaces and decor. By visiting the Medersa, you have to look everywhere; floors, ceilings, details of arches, and flush out the play of light in the corridors and dormitories. The large courtyard is of a perfect balance with a big refresh basin. Admire the massive columns and short, tiled mosaic zelliges foundations, lintels cedar, stucco walls that drives them. In the background is the prayer room with its marble columns supporting decorated and surmounted capitals, again, stucco walls. And the beautiful Mihrab overridden in the ark is certainly not to be missed.
Open every day: 9h to 19h (April to September) and 9am to 18pm (October to March)
Address: Place Ben Youssef, Medina.
Entry: 50 dirhams (about € 4.40)
A Note: You can combine a visit to the Medersa with visiting the Museum of Marrakech and El Kubba Badiyin (which are very close) to 60Dhs (approximately € 5.50)
Saadian Tombs
At the heart of the Kasbah district, south of the Medina, we discover this garden which is part of the El-Mansour Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmed El Mansour for himself, his family and his ancestors. This garden-cemetery was later recovered by the Saadian dynasty in the 16th century to house the tombs of their kings. These tombs are kept secret until the 1920s, when the curiosity of a French official, senior member of Fine Arts, decided d'explorer places. Although modest in size, the garden and the beautifully decorated tombs, are a haven of peace. The assembly includes 3Koubbas; down marble columns, over the stucco, then worked cedar panels and finally glazed tiles. A total of 200 Saadian would be buried here. Even today, the size of the Saadian tombs remained almost intact. Visiting the graves remains a fascinating element of discovery for the traveler.
Open daily: 8:30 to 11:45; 2:30 to 5:45
Address: Street Kasbah, Medina
Admission: 10Dhs (about 80 cents)
The Bahia PalaceBahia Palace was built around 1880 by the Vizier Ba Ahmed (real master of Morocco between 1894 and 1900) and had the ambition d'être greatest palace of all time. The Palace is a masterpiece of the Moroccan art masterpiece. It was built gradually as the Vizier classier properties nearby, which explains the lack of architectural coherence. On more than 8 hectares of beautifully decorated apartments lead flowered patios. Some rooms and patios are truly exceptional; painted cedar ceilings, rich stucco, marble patios and vegetation. Different moods and always savament calculated.
For information, the Vizier had no less than 4 wives and 24 concubines !!! You will also notice the large door openings, which were due to strong overweight Vizier ... Later, Marshal Lyautey, who did not taste bad either, this palace was the principal residence during the French Protectorate ( 1912-1956)
The Bahia Palace is definitely a place to visit in Marrakech.
Open daily: 9am to 16:30
Address: Rue Riad El-Ez Zitoune Jdid, near the Place des Ferblantiers, Medina
Admission: 10Dhs (about 80 € cents)
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