A true crossroads of Africa, Arabia, and Europe, Marrakech (sometimes spelled Marrakesh) is, for many travelers, the experience to which all others in the country are compared. The city thrives as Morocco's imaginative center and attracts visitors throughout the year with its arts and crafts and various festivals.
An imperial capital on more than one occasion, this ochre-colored city has a surprisingly limited number of attractions, but it offers a complete sensory experience that is immediately captivating. Its dynamic mix of traditional folklore and exotic imagery is drawing record numbers of travelers (and settlers) from l'Occident (the West) into its ancient, bustling medina. However, amidst this surge in popularity, Marrakech has been able to preserve its individual mystique and timeless allure.
Berber in origin, Marrakech looks and feels like the very definition of a Moroccan desert capital. The Almoravids, the first great Berber dynasty, established themselves here in the 1060s before going on to conquer northern Morocco and southern Spain. The original settlement -- nothing more than a camp and market surrounded by a thorn-tree perimeter -- eventually became the capital of the dynasty's empire and underwent a major expansion during their 80-odd years of rule. Unfortunately there is very little evidence today of Almoravid construction, as the orthodox and reforming Almohads -- the dynasty that made their way down the High Atlas mountains to overthrow the Almoravids -- destroyed most of the city's "impure" architecture and commenced a building spree of their own. This was one of Marrakech's greatest periods, as the city benefited from being the capital of an Almohad empire that reached as far as modern-day Libya. It was during the reign of the third Almohad sultan, Yacoub el Mansour, that the great Koutoubia Mosque and minaret was constructed, and a succession of Arabic creative types -- philosophers, poets, scholars -- took up residence in el Mansour's court, establishing Marrakech's reputation as a place of creativity and expression.
Upon the demise of the Almohads, the city was largely neglected by the proceeding dynasties until the Saâdians took control of the then famine-struck city in the 1520s. The Saâdians restored imperial glamour upon Marrakech as they regained control of the Atlantic coast from the Portuguese and conquered the powerful West African kingdom of Timbuktu, taking control of the extremely lucrative caravan routes. During this time, the city emerged as a cultural and commercial hub, and the eclectic mix of Atlas Berbers (with their produce, livestock, and crafts), southern caravans (laden with slaves, gold, and ivory), Arabic scholars, Jewish traders, and European consuls shaped the city.
Marrakech fell into disrepair upon the demise of the Saâdians, but regained some of its status with the arrival of the French. For the majority of the French colonial occupation (1912-1956), Marrakech and its surrounds were run as a virtual mini-kingdom by the pasha T'hami el Glaoui. The French preferred to govern Morocco's isolated territories through sympathetic local rulers and assisted el Glaoui in extending his, and their, control over all areas of the south. In the 1930s, the French constructed their ville nouvelle, which attracted Western travelers who took advantage of the newly built railway line that still deposits large amounts of visitors here every year. El Glaoui was a legendary party thrower, and at his elaborate banquets, Americans and Europeans -- Winston Churchill was considered a personal friend and invited the pasha to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II -- were showered with gifts of gold and diamonds and encouraged to indulge in whatever vice took their fancy. At the time, Marrakech was recognized as the true capital of the south, and today it is the second largest trading center in the country after Casablanca.
The result of this somewhat boisterous history is a city that is at a vibrant crossroads of cultures. The daily life in the medina is, for the most part, absolutely authentic, though you'll find many restaurants and souvenir shops surrounding the main square of Jemaa el Fna.
Marrakech is surrounded by extensive palm groves, yet there are also sandy, arid areas that, when combined, give the city a semi-Saharan feel. Marrakchis are renowned for their humor and gregariousness -- something that, for the traveler, may not be fully on display at first glance. Immigration from the surrounding rural areas is high, and the constant competition for work has led to the city gaining a bad reputation for hassling travelers. A special Brigade Touristique (tourist police) was established about 10 years ago to clamp down on the problem, and though it's been generally successful, haggling tourists (and unemployment) still exists.
This Venice of Morocco, as coined by part-time resident and fashion icon Yves Saint Laurent, is eccentric, enchanting, exhausting, enticing, and exasperating all within a moment's difference and deserves its current status as a popular and easily accessible example of the mysterious l'Orient.
