Marrakesh is Morocco's most intoxicating city. Ever since Morocco's Jewel of the South became a trading and resting place on the ancient caravan routes from Timbuktu, the city has barely paused for breath.
Ali ben Youssef Medersa
If you want a little breath taken out of you, don't pass up the chance
to see this extraordinarily well-preserved 16th-century Koranic school,
North Africa's largest such institution. The delicate intricacy of the gibs (stucco plasterwork), carved cedar, and zellij
(mosaic) on display in the central courtyard makes the building seem to
loom taller than it really does. As many as 900 students from Muslim
countries all over the world once studied here, and arranged around the
courtyard are their former sleeping quarters—a network of tiny
upper-level rooms that resemble monks' cells. The building was erected
in the 14th century by the Merenids in a somewhat different style from
that of other medersas; later, in the 16th century, Sultan Abdullah el
Ghallib rebuilt it almost completely, adding the Andalusian details. The
large main courtyard, framed by two columned arcades, opens into a
prayer hall elaborately decorated with rare palm motifs as well as the
more-customary Islamic calligraphy. The medersa also contains a small
mosque. Souks
The vast, labyrinth of narrow
streets and derbs at the center of the medina is the souk—Marrakesh's
marketplace and a wonder of arts, crafts, and workshops. Every step
brings you face-to-face with the colorful handicrafts and bazaars for
which Marrakesh is so famous. In the past, every craft had a special
zone within the market—a souk within the souk. Today savvy vendors have
pushed south to tap trading opportunities as early as possible, and few
of the original sections remain. Look for incongruities born of the
modern era. Beside handcrafted wooden pots for kohl eye makeup are
modern perfume stores; where there is a world of hand-sewn djellabas at
one turn, you'll find soccer jerseys after the next; fake Gucci caps sit
beside handmade Berber carpets, their age-old tassels fluttering in the
breeze.
As you wander through the souk,
take note of landmarks so you can return to a particular bazaar without
too much trouble. Once the bazaars' shutters are closed, they're often
unrecognizable. The farther north you go the more the lanes twist, turn,
and entwine. Should you have to retrace your steps, a compass comes in
handy, as does a mental count of how many left or right turns you've
taken since you left the main drag. But mostly you'll rely on people in
the souk to point the way. If you ask a shopkeeper, rather than a
loitering local you'll be less likely to be "guided."
This is an oil painting of Marrakesh done by Prime Minister Winston Churchill, which he gave to his friend President Franklin Roosevelt following the 1943 Casablanca Conference. The painting depicts the Tower of Katoubia Mosque in Marrakesh.
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