Culture and History

Since time immemorial, Marrakech was inhabited by Berber farmers. Marrakesh was found in 1062 by Abu Bakr ibn Umer a cousin to the Almoravid King Youssef ibn Tashfin. The first buildings ever constructed were Quranic schools and madrasas. The city saw rapid growth, and building and palaces were constructed with Andalusian influences and Sub-African demands creating something truly unique and grand. These monuments include Morocco’s oldest Ben Youssef mosque, which still stands today. The underground water labyrinth was dug to supply Marrakesh with much needed water in 1125 AD. The years that followed saw a demise of Marrakesh with an onslaught on the ruling family by the more staunch Almohads. The Almohads later added to Marrakech and built on the ruins left by the Almoravids. In the centuries to come Marrakech gained popularity among artists, historians, philosophers and polymaths alike. Among them was the illustrious Averroes or Ibn Rushd, whose books and insights educated much of Europe for the next 700 years. Marrakesh also became a destination for the Sufi Islam, in fact Marrakesh is still referred as the City of the Seven Great Sufis. After another period of turmoil Marrakesh rapidly regained its lost place, when the Saadian Sultans came to power. El badi palace was constructed that was a replica of the Alhambra Palace in Cordoba. It was adorned with Italian marble, Sudanese gold, Indian porphyry and Chinese jade. The Saadian amass more wealth and power as they showcased their control from Algiers to modern day Senegal, Mali and Niger. Caravan destined for trade with Europe, particularly with Spain, England and the Ottoman Empire, flowed through Marrakesh. With a century of unrest, a child on the throne, warring tribal chiefs and rising European ambitions Marrakesh saw troubling times after the Treaty of Fez that divided Morocco between French, Portuguese and Spanish colonial powers. In 1900, a Pasha, backed by the French ruled Marrakesh. His lavish lifestyle and disdain for Morocco’s ancient traditions began a nationalist movement that quickly ended the French protectorate of Morocco. The Sultanate was reinstated, and Morocco gained independence in March 1956. Under the current Sultan of Morocco, His Majesty Muhammad VI has pledged to double the number of tourists to 20 million per year. Despite the Economic crisis in 2008, Marrakech has been constructing hotels and resorts ever since, and is eager to host International conferences to showcase its efforts. In 1994 the Marrakesh Agreement for World Trade and world water council conference were held in Marrakesh, and attended by hundreds of delegates in 1997. Recently the United Nation Climate Change Conference was hosted by Marrakech in 2016.