Marrakech, Morocco
Urban square and market in Marrakech and Moroccan cultural heritage site
Jemaa el-Fnaa is the beating heart of Marrakech, where the medina meets the Kasbah, the old Mellah and the souks. It dates back to the city's Almoravid founding in 1070 to 1071, grew in importance once the Koutoubia was built next door, and for centuries the sultans used it to review their armies. Its name has many explanations; the one historians favour points to a great Friday mosque the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur began in the middle of the square and never finished. The square changes hour by hour. By day there are orange-juice carts, sellers of dates and nuts, henna artists and snake charmers. At dusk dozens of food stalls set up benches and grills, and crowds circle storytellers, Gnawa musicians and acrobats, the scene that led UNESCO in 2001 to name the square among the first Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. At the stalls you can try Marrakech food: harira soup, tanjia slow-cooked in clay jars, liver sandwiches, steamed lamb's head, snails in broth and mint tea. A rooftop café at sunset gives the best view of the square with the Koutoubia behind.
Go twice: in the morning for fresh orange juice, and from sunset until after dinner when it peaks. Performers expect a few dirhams for watching or photos, so carry small change and agree before you shoot. Watch for pickpockets in the crowds, and politely refuse unsolicited henna or guides. Ask the price at a stall before ordering.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
No reviews yet
Share your experience and help other travellers decide.
AttractionMarrakech, Morocco
