Marrakech, Morocco
Moroccan cultural heritage site
The Menara Gardens, west of Marrakech on the airport road, are a historic orchard founded by the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mu'min around 1157 and listed by UNESCO with the medina and the Agdal Gardens in 1985. Olive and fruit trees spread around a great reservoir that collected water brought from the Atlas through underground khettara channels to irrigate the orchards. On the edge of the basin stands an elegant two-storey pavilion with a green pyramid roof, in its present form from the 19th century, once a retreat for the sultans. The pavilion reflected in the water, with the snow-capped High Atlas behind, is one of the classic images of Marrakech. The origin of the name is uncertain; it first appears as Sahrij al-Manara in 1579. It is not a flower garden but a calm olive grove, where Marrakchis come to stroll and sit in the shade, especially at weekends.
Come late in the afternoon when the air is clear and the Atlas shows behind the pavilion; in winter the peaks are white. Thirty minutes to an hour is enough. The gardens are free, and the pavilion may charge a small fee. Get there by petit taxi or bus 11 or 18. Facilities are few, so bring water.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
No reviews yet
Share your experience and help other travellers decide.
ParkMarrakech, Morocco
