A. Medina of Marrakesh
B. Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
C. Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)


Medina of Marrakesh

Added to the list in 1985 - visited by Maarten, Annick and Febe in 2014

Marrakesh has a long history as an important political, economical and cultural centre in the Western Muslim world. This vibrant, historic city is a typical example of a large medieval, Islamic capital; it combines the business of daily life, crafts and trade (e.g. the souks and Djemaa el Fna square) with the calmness of its religious centres (e.g. mosques and the Ben Youssef Madrasa) and the grandeur of its palaces (e.g. El Badi palace, La Bahia).
The city was founded in the 11th century by the Almoravid rulers. The general outline of the medina dates back to this period. Under their reign, the medina was walled and a huge palm forest (Palmeraie) was planted. It remained the capital under the Almohads, who destroyed most of the Almoravid monuments but also led Marakesh into a period of unprecedented prosperity. They were responsible for building the grand Koutoubia Mosque (with a 77m minaret!). After a period of decline, the Saadian rulers (16th-17th century) led to a new blossoming of the arts. The El Badi palace and the Saadian tombs were built under their reign.


Own impression


Annick: We visited Marrakesh on a couple of occasions and I really liked the feel of the city. The Djema El Fna is, as Maarten explains below, not really the place to be, although they have excellent orange juice there - pressed at the spot, an ideal refreshment.
I loved visiting the famous sights, since they were a relief from the busy souks. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely loved the souks - especially because they have specialised districts, like the tanners, or the painters. But, when you have to take care of a toddler, they are a bit too hectic ;-) I was glad that it was so hot, so she wanted to be in the stroller for the majority of the time. If not, she would've definitely ended up hurt by either a mule or a motorcycle, or maybe even both... It was even a miracle I never got hit ;-)
The palaces are of extreme beauty though. I really love islamic architecture and it's only the second time I really had the opportunity to discover some - the first being in Jerusalem. More of that if you aks me!

Maarten: During our stay in Morocco, we headed into the city several times, mostly because of the heat and the overwhelming character of the city. It’s completely impossible to visit and experience all its treasures in one day. Moreover, most monuments are so intricately and extensively decorated, that it is a feast for the eye but it also becomes a bit much after a while. So if you want to appreciate this city in its full glory, spend several days here. I must admit I hated the Djemaa El Fna square, where even looking at someone could result in that person charging you for it. We experienced our first rip-off even within our first 5 minutes on the square, when we wanted to photograph one of the snake charmers. Happy with the pictures and experience though, but needless to say the amount they asked was ridiculous. We didn’t pay what they wanted, but we still paid too much if you ask me (15 euro!).
Most mysterious place: Saadian tombs. Most beautiful place: Ben Youssef Madrasa. Most annoying place: Djemaa El Fna. Best meal: Souk Kafé. Top tip: get lost in the souks and watch out for its delicately decorated doors.

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Bab Agnaou triumphal gate.



Marrakesh streetlife.



Souk El Jadid.



Tanners' district of El Jadid Souk.


Decorated door.



Inner courtyard of the Ben Youssef Madrasa.



Decorated wall of the Ben Youssef Madrasa.


Fairytale ceiling (Ben Youssef Madrasa).



El Badi Palace.


Koubba Ba'adiyn.
 
Saadian tombs.



Saadian tombs.



Djemaa El Fna square in the morning.



Cobra (Djemaa El Fna square).


Kasbah Mosque.


Koutoubia Mosque, as seen from Parc Lalla Hasna.


The Palmeraie.
 

Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

Added to the list in 1987 - visited by Maarten, Annick and Febe in 2014

The ksar at Ait-Ben-Haddou is a typical and stunning example of pre-Saharan, South-Moroccan architecture. Just like the kasbah, the family unit for the wealthy class, the ksar is a type of traditional habitat. It’s a collective grouping of earthen buildings surrounded by high defensive walls and reinforced with angle towers and zigzag-shaped gates, common in all countries of the Great Maghreb. The structures inside a ksar are either houses, collective buildings or community areas. They were constructed using a range of pre-Saharan construction techniques. The ksar of Ait-Ben Haddou is built against a hill for protection issues and is located along a former caravan route, between the High Atlas mountains and the Sahara desert.
Although much of the original mudbrick structure has disappeared, many parts have been rebuilt and additional structures were constructed as the ksar was used as the decor for many Hollywood blockbuster movies, e.g. Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven…


Own impression

Annick: Our visit to Ait-Ben-Haddou was at the end of a very beautiful day, where we discovered the magnificent Atlas mountains and also the beautiful kasbah at Telouet. At this point you are already in the more arid zone of Morocco, so the scenery changed a lot over the day.
Especially for Febe we approached the ksar on the back of a dromedary. She really loved it, and I must say, approaching the city like that was quite special for us as well. As you can see from our pictures below, the ksar itself is beautiful. It was restored in its original glory and used as a backdrop for many famous movies and TV-series. From above you have quite a good view over the surrounding area, so make sure you do the climb up completely.

Maarten: Our visit to Ait-Ben-Haddou was part of a very memorable travel day, also including a visit to the magnificent Telouet kasbah and an unforgettable dromedary trip around the ksar. The area between Telouet and Ait-Ben -Haddou was also just breath-taking. I reckon this day to be one of the most exciting travel experiences in my life. Obviously, Ait-Ben-Haddou was not the only highlight of that day, but definitely a must-visit when you are in the area. I especially enjoyed the view from the nearby town and from dromedary-back. I must recommend you do the dromedary trip, especially when traveling with children. The ksar’s location in a semi-desert landscape, built against the slope of a hill and alongside a small river turns it into a true postcard. Moreover, there is always that special feeling when you recognise movie locations such as the “African arena” where Maximus fought his first battles in “Gladiator”… Taking the hike through the city up the hill is also a must-do: it takes you through the different city quarters ànd you have a superb view from the hilltop.
Top tips: (1) take a dromedary ride around the ksar; (2) walk up to the hilltop for the view; (3) visit the Telouet
kasbah when you are in the area; (4) look out for ground squirrels and bee-eaters between Telouet and Ait-Ben -Haddou.

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Along the road between Telouet and Ait-Ben-Haddou.



Ground squirrel spying on human waders.



The girls are ready for a dromedary ride around the ksar.



Riding the dromedary around Ait-Ben-Haddou.


The ksar is built on the slope of a small hill.



Annick and our guide Idir at the Mellah (Jewish quarter).



Inspecting the wall fabric at the entrance.



A walk in the ksar.



A fortified house (kasbah).



The agadir (granary) on the hilltop.
 


View from the hilltop: ksar, Ounila river and new town.



Crossing the Ounila river.















Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou.
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Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador)

Added to the list in 2001 - visited by Maarten, Annick and Febe in 2014

Essaouira is an exceptional and well-preserved example of a late 18th century, fortified, European-style seaport city in North Africa. This major international trading port served as an economical link between Morocco and the rest of the world (esp. Europe).
Originally a Phoenician trading settlement, Essaouira has been occupied by many different rulers, such as the Greeks, Romans and Portuguese. The present town was constructed under the rule of the Alawite Sultan Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah. The port, called the “Port of Timbuktu”, became one of the country's most important commercial centers.

The building of Essaouira was inspired by European architecture, hence its obvious European appearance. The city was modeled and constructed by the French architect Cornut, who had been influenced by Vauban. His ideas were combined with local building techniques, resulting in a unique project. The most important architectural achievements are the defensive wall with ramparts, which encloses the entire city, the Skala du Port, the Skala de la Kasbah, the Bab Marrakesh bastion and the Kasbah.

Own impression

Annick: A bit of a crazy excursion, this one. We had to drive from Marrakesh and back the same day, which meant 5 hours in the car. This limited our time in Essaouira - if I would do it all over again, I would have booked a riad there and would've stayed overnight. The town is certainly worth a visit. I love the seaside and the seaside in Morocco is wonderfull. The whole port was filled with the smell of freshly grilled fish and the cosy stroll along the sea, the blue boats and the fortified harbour was just lovely. Since Febe also wanted to go to the beach and dip her feet in the ocean, we had to skip the inner part of town completely - but that's how it goes when you travel with a young girl :-)

Maarten: We drove there all the way from Marrakesh, which took a while (2.5h) because of speed limits, but was nevertheless very easy. We arrived there around noon and went straight to the Skala du Port and the seaport itself. We watched the fishermen clean their catch, gazed at the sky blue boats and walked on the ramparts, from where we could see the ruins of the prison on the island of Île de Mogador. Afterwards, we enjoyed the best grilled fish ever. Just perfect! In the afternoon, we decided to go to the nearby beach with Febe (we still had a long ride ahead of us) and skip the remainder of the medina. This was definitely the best decision for all of us, but if we ever go back to the region, I would certainly want to wander some more through its streets…
Top tip: (1) go by car and drive yourself. Do it at your own pace and just relax. (2) You just HAVE to taste the grilled fish at the seaport. If a merchant offers you a good price, promise him you’ll be back in an hour after your visit and make an arrangement with him. He’ll be só happy when you do return afterwards, that you really will get a good price for it (we compared with other people around us: the difference in price was substantial!).

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Entering the medina of Essaouira.



The medina of Essaouira.



Blue boats at the Skala du Port.



More blue boats at the Skala du Port.


Skala du Port, ramparts and fishing boats.



The seaport.



Impression of the seaport and its surroundings.



Detail of the ramparts.



Ramparts and cannons.


Walking the ramparts.



Île de Mogador, as seen from the ramparts.


Riding a cannon.



Cannon facing the Île de Mogador.



Cannon detail.




View on the medina and Skala de la Kasbah.


The beautiful city of Essaouira.














The beautiful city of Essaouira (again).
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