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Founded in 1070–72 by the Berber imperial dynasty of Almoravids, Marrakesh remained a political, economic and cultural centre for a long period. Its influence was felt throughout the western Muslim world, from North Africa to Andalusia. It has several impressive monuments dating from that period: the Koutoubiya Mosque, the Kasbah, the battlements, gardens, monumental doors, etc. Later architectural jewels include the Bandiâ Palace, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the Saadian Tombs, several great residences and Place Jamaâ El Fna, a veritable open-air theatre.

Koutoubia Mosque's minaret tower is a landmark of Marrakesh

©Ahron de LeeuwBank Al-Maghrib

Bank Al-Maghrib

Al Maghrib, the Arabic name for Morocco, means

"far west" or "where the sun sets." When the

Arabs first arrived in northern Africa in the 7th century,

Morocco was believed to be the

westernmost point in the world

Le jardin des majorelle

It took French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886-1962) forty years of passion and dedication to create this enchanting garden in the heart of the “Red City”

Cell phone towers disguised as fake tall Palm trees

Marrakech has over 300 (!) sunny days per year…but the maximum humidity is observed in November

Located in the southwest medina quarter, the Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakesh

Gardens flank the Koutoubia Mosque

To the west and south of the mosque is a notable rose

garden

The Koutoubia Mosque and

tower constitute the oldest and most complete structure of the Almovad period. The mosque was followed by two other structures

built on the same pattern, the Tour Hassan in Rabat and the Giralda in

Seville, Spain. This structure

thus became the forerunner of Moroccan-Andalusian architecture

The minaret is topped by a spire which includes gilded copper balls, decreasing in size towards the top, a traditional style of Morocco

Excavations confirm a Marrakshi legend: the original mosque, built by Almoravid architects, wasn’t properly aligned with Mecca, so the pious Almohads levelled it to build a realigned one. In the mosque's esplanade, which backs onto Jama el Fna, the ruins of the original mosque can be seen

When the present mosque was finished by Sultan Yacoub el-Mansour in the 12th century, 100 booksellers were clustered around its base – hence the name, from kutubiyyin (booksellers)

Watersellers

Avenue Mohammed V

Washingtonia palm on Avenue Mohammed V

Calèches are horse-drawn carriages of

which can hold four to five

people

Menara Mall is one of the largest

shopping centre in Marrakesh,

opened in June 2015

Menara Mall

Together with the mall, a

Mövenpick Hotel was erected

The Menara gardens are botanical gardens located to the west of Marrakech, near the Atlas Mountains. They were established in the 12th century (c. 1130) by the Almohad Caliphate ruler Abd al-Mu'min

The Climate Change Conference

The twenty-second session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22), were held in Bab Ighli, Marrakech, from 7-18 November 2016

Cell phone tower disguised as fake tall Palm tree

Camel rides are very popular, especially for the kids

Saadian garden pavilion

The intention of the basin (an artificial lake) was to irrigate the surrounding gardens and orchards using a sophisticated system of underground channels called a qanat. The qanat technology is known to have been developed in Iran by the Persian people sometime in the early 1st millennium BC, and spread from there slowly westward and eastward

Herboristerie Rosa Huile La pharmacie Berbère de Marrakech

Herboristerie Rosa Huile La pharmacie Berbère de MarrakechBuying Argan Oil, safran, amber, and other items in …Shopping Tourism 

Nigella (nigella sativa) is also called "black cumin“. Seeds of this annual flower are used whole or crushed to produce a spice to flavor both fruity and slightly spicy. They grow in the wild throughout Asia and the Middle East, where it is used as we use black pepper in Europe. Known since ancient times, nigella seeds are very popular in Europe until the seventeenth century

Hotel Les Jardins de la Koutoubia

The Jemaa el-Fnaa square

The Jemaa el-Fnaa square remains the

main square of Marrakesh, used

by locals and tourists

 A snake charmer

Not just the stuff of storybooks but real—you’ll find the snake charmers charming their cobras and showing off their pythons at various spots on the Square.  The charmers are thought to be protected by Baraka, a type of divine blessing and magic rolled into one 

The idea of the UNESCO

project Masterpieces of the Oral and

Intangible Heritage of Humanity came

from people concerned about the

Jamaa el Fna.The place is known

for its active concentration of

traditional activities by storytellers, musicians and

performers

The spectacle of Jamaa el Fna is repeated daily

and each day it is different.

Everything changes —

voices, sounds, gestures, the public which sees, listens,

smells, tastes, touches

The square was featured in the Alfred

Hitchcock movie The Man Who

Knew Too Much (1956)

Jemaa El Fna square - night

Sound: Sawt el Atlas- Ne me jugez pas 2017

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu Sanda Negruțiu Internet slides1-6, 38, 61, 62Copyright: All the images belong to their author

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuhttps://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela