The City wall
The wall from the 12th
century is 12km long and is one of the most impressive city
walls of Morocco. It is protruded by cypresses, date palms and
jaws. It is strengthened through 202 bastions. The most beautiful gate from
the eleven gates is the Bab Aguenaou. |
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Koutoubia-Mosque
In the South-west, not far from the Place Djema el-Fna, the landmark of Marrakech is situated: the Koutoubia-Mosque with its great minaret. It is seen from far away.
The Mosque has its name from the former Book-Souq, who was located once at this place. Book (Koutub in arab).
The minaret, constructed by the Almohads in the late 12th is the only finished one during their reign. The outside is completely restored and can only be admired.
The minaret is apart from the Tour Hassan and the Giralda of Sevilla a model for other moroccan minarets.
Immense because of its height of 69m, with the top even 77m it is visible for miles.
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Not invisible, in the South-West of Djemaa el-Fna.
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Mosque Ibn Ben Youssef and the Medersa Ibn Ben Youssef (Theological college)
The foundation walls of the mosques date from the 12th century, but the main part is constructed in the 16th century and renovated in the 19th.
The 400 years old theological college with the same name, was immensely restored in the last years. The Medersa was once the biggest theological college of the Maghreb and is also one of the oldest monuments in Marrakech.
It was founded in the 14th century by the Sultan of the Merinids Abou El Hassan and the
Saadian Abdallah El Ghalib extended it in the 16th to the biggest Medersa.
In the 150 small rooms up to 900 students followed their studies.
The Merdersa fascinates through wonderful stucco decoration; it is a jewel of sacral architecture.
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Place Ben Youssef. Tel. (044) 39 09 11.
Opening times: Daily 9.00 - 18.00. Entrance 10 DH. |
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Fontaine Echroub-ou-Chouf
In the North of the Souqs you can admire this wonderful fountaine.
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Near the Place Ben Youssef. |
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Bahia Palace
This former palace of the Grand Vizier Bou Ahmed was constructed over 14 years at the end of the 19th century.
Some times later, El Glaoui and the French administration resided in this palace.
The ample decorated interior demonstrated the oriental architecture of this period.
Make time to disvocer this palace; to admire the fine work of the carvers made out cedar wood and the luxuriantly planted patios.
It is impossible to orientate in the 160 rooms, patios and Riads without a guide. Guided tours in every language are offered.
Some scenes of the movie "Lawrence von Arabia" are filmed in this palace.
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Rue de la Bahia in der
Near the Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid.
Opening times: daily 8.30 - 12.00am and 2.30 - 6.00pm in winter; (8.30am - 1.00pm and 2.30-7.00 pm in summer)
Entrance 10 DH. |
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Palais
el-Badi
Unfortunately there are only ruins of the
splendid palace of the Sultan Ahmed el Mansour. The in the early 16thcentury constructed palace was a long time the most
beautiful one in the whole Maghreb. Fine building materials like marble from Italy for example were used.
The marvellous building was known as the Incomparable. Moulay Ismail gave 1696 the order to destroy the palace for its building material to construct his Ville Impériale in Meknes. That's why nowadays just the loam walls exist.
But the restored pulpit at the Corner (south-east) of the building- a 900 years old treasure of Islamic art and craft. The pulpit was made in the Spanish Cordoba in 1137.
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In the South of the Medina. The entrance is at the "Place des Ferblantiers".
Opening times: daily from 8.30-12am and 2.30-6.00pm.
Entrance 10 DH.
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Jardin Ménara
1200 A.D. the garden was started and enlarged during the 19th centurynd im laufe des 19.
A loam wall surrounds wide olive groves. The nice Menara-Pavilion (built in 1866) and the water-bassin is one of the most photographed motif
in Morocco.
It is told that the pavilion with the green roof served Sultan Sidi Mohamed as silent place if he wanted to pass his time undisturbed with his mistress.
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In the South-West of the town. To reach from the Avenue de la Menara.
Opening times: daily from 8.30am to 5.00pm.
Free entrance.
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Jardins de l'Agdal
These garden is in the South of the Royal Palace Dar El Makhzen. The garden in this form constructed in 19thcentury, contains almost
fruit trees.
The first trees were planted in the 12th by the Almohads.
The palace Dar el-Hana with a terrace with a wonderful view over the garden to the silhouette of the High Atlas.
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Avenue Yacoub El Masour in Gueliz.
Opening times (summer): Tue-Sun 9.00 - 12.00am and 3.00 - 7.00pm. Closed in August:
Opening times (winter): Tue-Sun 9.00 - 12.00am and 2.00 - 5.00pm.
Entrance: 30DH. |
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Jardin Majorelle
The most beautiful of the garden of Marrakech is situated like the Garden Menara in Guéliz, the Ville Nouvelle (Guéliz) of Marrakech. The French painter and decorator Jacques Majorelle
(1888-1962) settled down in Marrakech in 1923 and laid out a subtropical garden. When he left Marrakech in 1962, the garden overgrew, before the French designer Yves-Saint Laurent bought it in the 70s. He and Pierre Bergé restored the garden and founded a museum in the former atelier of the painter (Musée Art Islamique); where you can also regard some works of Majorelle.
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Museum Dar Si Said
Museum of Moroccan Arts. This museum, which presents art and craft of the people, is located in a former palace. This palace is for itself worth of a visit. The collection is the biggest one of the art and craft of Berbers.
But a inconspicuous basin made from stone made a visit for art historian so unique. It
came from the Medersa Ben Youssef and show an unusual motif for the Islamic sacral art: two eagles with their wide spread wings.
The illustration of living creatures is normally forbidden. So this basin was presented in Cordoba.
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Derb Si Said near Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jedid
Opening times : Wed-Mon 9.00 - 12.00am and 2.30 - 6.00pm.
Entrance: 10DH. |
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Saadian
Tombs (Tombeaux des Saadiens)
In the old
Kasbah-Quarter the necropolis of four sultans and 62 family
members of the mighty dynasty of the Saadians on the 16th
century is located. Under the reign of Moulay Ismail the
Tombs were enclosed by a wall to delete all the souvenirs of
the Saadians. Not until 1917 they were rediscovered.
Two mausoleums
with splendid Carrara- marble, a model of Andalusian
decoration art. The most splendid room is the hall of the
twelve columns.
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Rue de la Kasbah. Der Eingang befindet sich
unmittelbar neben der Kasbah-Moschee..
Öffnungszeiten: täglich 9.00 - 12.00 und 14.30 - 18.00 Uhr.
Eintritt 10 DH. |
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Marrakech-Museum
This museum is founded by the
industriel Omar Benjelloun.
He propose the visiters expositions with different themes. The
expositons comes from private collections. The library attached
at the museum is very impressfull.
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Place Ben Youssef. Tel. (044) 39 09 11.
Opening times: daily 9.00 - 18.30 Uhr. Entrance 10 DH. |
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Mosque El Mouassine and Fountaine El Mouassine
Near by the Souq of the Coppersmiths the Fountaine and the Mosque El Mouassine are situated.
The Mosque is constructet in the late 16th century with a great decorated fountaine
which gave the whole district water.
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Animal market "Camel-market"
In the quarter Douar Laaskar (approx.
5km out of the town) every Thursday the farmers meet to sale their animals,
like donkeys, horses- sometimes camels. It is an interesting adventure. Nowadays
the market doesn’t earn its common name camel-market. Try to arrive at this
market already in the beginning.
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Douar Laaskar
Thursday 6.00 - 14.00 |
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