34 Facts About Marrakesh

1.

Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading center for the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,118
2.

In 1912 the French Protectorate in Morocco was established and T'hami El Glaoui became Pasha of Marrakesh and held this position nearly throughout the protectorate until the role was dissolved upon the independence of Morocco and the reestablishment of the monarchy in 1956.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,119
3.

Marrakesh is particularly popular with the French, and numerous French celebrities own property in the city.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,120
4.

Marrakesh has the largest traditional market in Morocco, with some 18 souks selling wares ranging from traditional Berber carpets to modern consumer electronics.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,121
5.

Marrakesh is served by Menara International Airport and by Marrakesh railway station, which connects the city to Casablanca and northern Morocco.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,122
6.

Marrakesh has several universities and schools, including Cadi Ayyad University.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,123
7.

One possible origin of the name Marrakesh is from the Berber words amur akush, which means "Land of God".

FactSnippet No. 1,159,124
8.

Marrakesh area was inhabited by Berber farmers from Neolithic times, and numerous stone implements have been unearthed in the area.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,125
9.

Marrakesh preached against the Almoravids and influenced a revolt which succeeded in bringing about the fall of nearby Aghmat, but stopped short of bringing down Marrakesh following an unsuccessful siege in 1130.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,126
10.

Thanks to its economic, political, and cultural importance, Marrakesh hosted many writers, artists, and intellectuals, many of them from Al-Andalus, including the famous philosopher Averroes of Cordoba.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,127
11.

Marrakesh became the stronghold of the Almohad tribal sheikhs and the ahl ad-dar, who sought to claw power back from the ruling Almohad family.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,128
12.

In 1269, Marrakesh was conquered by nomadic Zenata tribes who overran the last of the Almohads.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,129
13.

Thanks to the wealth amassed by the Sultans, Marrakesh was embellished with sumptuous palaces while its ruined monuments were restored.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,130
14.

Under the Saadian dynasty, Marrakesh regained its former position as a point of contact for caravan routes from the Maghreb, the Mediterranean and sub-Saharan Africa.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,131
15.

Centuries Marrakesh has been known as the location of the tombs of Morocco's seven patron saints .

FactSnippet No. 1,159,132
16.

The tombs of several renowned figures were moved to Marrakesh to attract pilgrims, and the pilgrimage associated with the seven saints is a firmly established institution.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,133
17.

On 15 April 1994, the Marrakesh Agreement was signed here to establish the World Trade Organisation, and in March 1997 Marrakesh served as the site of the World Water Council's first World Water Forum, which was attended by over 500 international participants.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,134
18.

Marrakesh is a vital component of the economy and culture of Morocco.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,135
19.

Marrakesh is one of North Africa's largest centers of wildlife trade, despite the illegality of most of this trade.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,136
20.

Marrakesh is a major centre for law and jurisdiction in Morocco and most of the major courts of the region are here.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,137
21.

Since the legislative elections in November 2011, the ruling political party in Marrakesh has, for the first time, been the Justice and Development Party or PDJ which rules at the national level.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,138
22.

Marrakesh has the largest traditional market in Morocco and the image of the city is closely associated with its souks.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,139
23.

Mellah of Marrakesh is the old Jewish Quarter of the city, located is in the kasbah area of the city's medina, east of Place des Ferblantiers.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,140
24.

The Museum of Art and Culture of Marrakesh, opened in 2016, houses a collection of Moroccan art objects and photography from the 1870s to 1970s.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,141
25.

Arts and crafts of Marrakesh have had a wide and enduring impact on Moroccan handicrafts to the present day.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,142
26.

Metalwork made in Marrakesh includes brass lamps, iron lanterns, candle holders made from recycled sardine tins, and engraved brass teapots and tea trays used in the traditional serving of tea.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,143
27.

Cultural festivals of note held in Marrakesh include the National Folklore Festival, the Marrakech Festival of Popular Arts, international folklore festival Marrakech Folklore Days and the Berber Festival.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,144
28.

Harira soup in Marrakesh typically includes lamb with a blend of chickpeas, lentils, vermicelli, and tomato paste, seasoned with coriander, spices and parsley.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,145
29.

Desserts of Marrakesh include chebakia, tartlets of filo dough with dried fruit, or cheesecake with dates.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,146
30.

Marrakesh has several universities and schools, including Cadi Ayyad University, and its component, the Ecole nationale des sciences appliquees de Marrakech, which was created in 2000 by the Ministry of Higher Education and specializes in engineering and scientific research, and the La faculte des sciences et techniques-gueliz which known to be number one in Morocco in its kind of faculties.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,147
31.

Ben Youssef Madrasa, north of the Medina, was an Islamic college in Marrakesh named after the Almoravid sultan Ali ibn Yusuf who expanded the city and its influence considerably.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,148
32.

Football clubs based in Marrakesh include Najm de Marrakech, KAC Marrakech, Mouloudia de Marrakech and Chez Ali Club de Marrakech.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,149
33.

Marrakesh has long been an important centre for healthcare in Morocco, and the regional rural and urban populations alike are reliant upon hospitals in the city.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,150
34.

In February 2001, the Moroccan government signed a loan agreement worth eight million U S dollars with The OPEC Fund for International Development to help improve medical services in and around Marrakesh, which led to expansions of the Ibn Tofail and Ibn Nafess hospitals.

FactSnippet No. 1,159,151