morocco again41 marrakesh the red city

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Marrakesh is possibly the most important of Morocco's four former imperial cities (cities that were built by Moroccan Berber empires). The region has been inhabited by Berber farmers since Neolithic times, but the actual city was founded in 1062 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, chieftain and cousin of Almoravid king Yusuf ibn Tashfin. The red walls of the city, built by Ali ibn Yusuf in 1122–1123, and various buildings constructed in red sandstone during this period, have given the city the nickname of the "Red City" or "Ochre City". Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading centre for the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa

Bab Agnaou, one of the nineteen gates of Marrakesh, was built in the 12th century

Bab Agnaou

In 1985, UNESCO declared the old town area of Marrakesh a UNESCO World Heritage Site, raising international awareness of the cultural heritage of the city

In the 21st century, property and real estate

development in the city has boomed, with a dramatic increase in new

hotels and shopping centres,

fuelled by the policies of

Mohammed VI of Morocco, who

aims to increase the number of

tourists annually visiting Morocco to 20 million by 2020

In 2010, a major gas explosion occurred in the city. On 28 April 2011, a bomb

attack took place in the Jemaa el-

Fnaa square, killing 15 people, mainly foreigners.

The blast destroyed the nearby Argana

Cafe

Founded in 1070–72 by the Almoravids (Berber imperial dynasty), Marrakesh remained a political, economic and cultural centre for a long period. Its influence was felt throughout the western Muslim world, from North Africa to Andalusia

The Climate Change

Conference from 7-18 November 2016,

in Marrakech

Morocco is a traditional producer of olives. Morocco has seen a steady increase in olive exports and the country maintains an active program to increase olive production by promoting olive tree planting. Morocco recently moved ahead of Greece as the world's second largest exporter of olives

Place Jemaa El Fnaa during the day is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, water sellers with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, youths with chained Barbary apes and snake charmers 

The Jemaa el-Fnaa is one of the best-known squares in Africa and is the centre of city activity and trade. Each evening, the food stalls arrive by mule carts

As the day progresses, the

entertainment on offer changes: the snake charmers

depart, and late in the day the square

becomes more crowded,

with Chleuh dancing-boys (it would be against custom for girls to

provide such entertainment),

story-tellers, magicians…

Jamaâ El Fna Square, inscribed

on the Representative

List of the Intangible

Cultural Heritage, is a true open-air

theatre that always amazes

visitors

Marrakesh, which gave its name to

the Moroccan empire, is a completed

example of a major Islamic capital of the

western Mediterranean

As darkness falls, the square fills with dozens of

food-stalls as the number of people

on the square peaks

sometimes smell is too much, but the colours, the people walking

around, the hustle and bustle

of the whole thing, are a real

experience

The Koutoubia Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakesh. It is located

in the southwest

medina quarter

Sound: C.S.N - Marrakech Express; Capuccino - Marrakesh 2017

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Negruțiu Sanda Foişoreanu Internet slide1,2,3,4Copyright: All the images belong to their author

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuhttps://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela