Marrakesh Attractions

The power of the Almoravides also made Marrakech into a great commercial center and wealth flowed into the city, further transforming its architecture. Lavish buildings were constructed and splendid gardens designed. The ancient ramparts and gates of the city are monuments to its medieval pre-eminence.

Almohade armies stormed the gates of Marrakech on March 23, 1147, conquering the Almoravide capital. The Almohades under Abdal Mou'min continued their conquest of North Africa, extending their empire through Algeria and Tunisia and moving across the Mediterranean to capture Seville, Cordoba and Granada. Under Abdal Mou'min, Marrakech became an even greater Islamic capital. Abdal Mou'min was a great builder and gave Marrakech its most spectacular landmark, the Minaret Al Kutubiyya with four walls, each face measuring 13m/42ft, rising 69m/226ft to the tip of a lantern turret. Masjid Al Kutubiyya is among the greatest works of North African architecture and is surrounded by gardens. Marrakech went into a period of decline under the Merinids who captured the city in 1269. The Merinid capital was already centered in Fez and Marrakech fell into neglect for two-and-a-half centuries. The fortunes of Marrakech revived under the Saadian dynasty. The Saadians were tribesmen from the Souss region, who conquered the whole of southern Morocco in a war against the Portuguese colonialist in Agadir. When the Saadians gained control of the whole of Morocco their leader, Mohammed Al Mahdi, made Marrakech his capital in 1551 and began to restore the city.

During this period Al Bedi palace was built which was considered one of the most spectacular architectural achievements of the century. Moroccan crafts reached a high watermark during the Saadian period and many splendid palaces were built which bear witness to their exquisite artistry. Marrakech also became known as a magnet for some of the greatest saints of Islam, many of whom are buried within the city. In the 17th Sultan Moulay Ismail assigned Sheikh Al Hassan Al Youssi to choose seven Muslim saints buried in Marrakech to form a spiritual hierarchy for the city. The holy men chosen lived and died in Marrakech between the 12th and 16th centuries. They are Sidi Cadi Ayad, Sidi As-Soheyli, Sidi Yousef Ben Ali, Sidi Bel Abbis, Sidi Ben Sliman Al Jazouli, Sidi Abdal Aziz Tebba and Sidi Al Ghazwani. Sheikh Al Hassan Al Youssi organized a kind of spiritual tour of their tombs which became known as the Visit of the Seven Men of Marrakech.

This practice became a national religious institution, to the point where many Moroccans say "I am going to the Seven Men, meaning that they are traveling to Marrakech even though, except for the annual Moussem of the Seven Saints, the practice has now been largely abandoned. Marrakech, like Fez, is a genuinely Islamic city in both its genesis and traditions. The modern city was constructed in 1913 during the French occupation of the country and reflects the European influence.

The city has never failed to leave an indelible mark upon visitors. Sir Winston Churchill was particularly taken by Marrakech and, in his war memoirs, has left this evocative memorial to the southern Moroccan city: "Here, surrounded by its extensive palm-groves that have sprung out of the desert, the traveler may rest assured that he will never tire of the majestic view of the snow-covered Atlas Mountains. The sun is dazzling and warm, but never unbearably so; the air is sharp and refreshing, yet never unpleasantly cold; the days are perfect, the nights are cool. The local inhabitants, dressed in their burnooses of various colors and patterns, are themselves a permanent picture; every countryman is a possible painting, every crowd is a pictorial composition. Should anyone be seeking a warm sunny winter, it is to be found in a truly unique setting here in Morocco."

Marrakech is a rail terminus for other parts of Morocco. Roads link the city with the north and with the Atlantic seaport of Safi. Local industries relate to desert crops and include tanning and handicrafts. Marrakech is famous for its fine leather-work and desert carpets. In the surrounding area lead, zinc, copper, molybdenum and graphite are mined.