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'And yesterday will fade like snow in the sunlight, Melt away from my memory, Through the darkness until I feel the light’s caress, I’m on my way to the streets of Marrakech'

This is the city that time forgot. Marrakech is the city that redefines the connotations of the term exotic, the timeworn witness to rising and decaying imperial dynasties; the site where nature created an oasis next to a mountain range; the place where street life is as vibrant as it comes and the memories as vivid as you will ever remember.

Second only to Fes as a centre for the arts and crafts, Marrakech wows visitors with its sprawling, incredibly colourful central square, the Place Djemaa el-Fna – one of the most memorable squares anywhere in the world, its perfect, crisp sunny days and chilly nights and its friendly folk.

One word of warning – do make sure you take the necessary precautions against getting conned/robbed by the hundreds of faux guides (false guides – con men or just anybody looking to make a quick buck). Be patient and do not lose your wits or your cool and you should have the best time ever.

Marrakech got its nick name of the ‘Red City’ because of the earth colour of the mountains that form a backdrop as also the ping hue of the city building.

The tower of Koutoubia Mosque is adorned with four copper globes. There is a belief that the globes were made of pure gold, and in the early times there were supposedly three globes. The fourth one was donated by Yacoub el-Mansour’s wife when she failed to keep the fast for one day Ramadan. Her golden jewelry was melted to flab the fourth globe.

Historically Speaking

The city of Marrakech was founded in 1062 by the Almoravid sultan Youssef bin Tachfin and brought to the height of its glory by his son, Ali. The latter commissioned underground irrigation canals called khettara that supplied the city with water and continue to irrigate the gardens. Since its birth, the city’s fortunes have waxed and waned according to the whims and fancies of the ruling dynasty.

Under the Almoravids Marrakech became a mainstay of Islamic civilization attracted the most famous scholars and philosophers of the age. Some spectacular architecture and gardens were commissioned during this period. Following the Almoravid conquest of Spain, Fes became the more significant city, but Marrakech remained the capital of the south. In 1147, the successors of the Almoravids, the Almohads razed the city to the ground, only to commission its resurrection and rename it capital. Marrakech remained the capital until 1269, only to lose its prominence again to Fes. The next dynasty to restore the city to its former glory was the Saadians, who built such impressive structures as the Mouassine mosque, the mosque of Ali ben

Youssef and the Jewish quarter – the mellah. Marrakech slipped into obscurity for a while when the Alawite sultan Moulay Ismail moved the capital to Meknes, but received a fresh boost of life from the French who are responsible for building the ville nouvelle and rejuvenating the old town during the period of the protectorate (1912-56). Today, Marrakech thrives as a hub of performing arts, crafts and tourism.

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