History

Marrakech was founded in 1062 by the Almoravids — a Berber dynasty from the Sahara that established an empire from Spain to Senegal. The Almoravid ruler Youssef ibn Tachfin made Marrakech the capital and laid out the first irrigation system (Khettaras), which made the city in the desert viable in the first place.

The Almohads (1147–1269)

The Almohads overthrew the Almoravids and made Marrakech a center of Islamic scholarship. They built the Koutoubia Mosque (whose minaret remains the city's landmark to this day), the Menara Gardens, and the Kasbah. Under Caliph Yacoub el-Mansour, Marrakech experienced its first golden age.

The Saadians (1549–1668)

The Saadian Dynasty brought a second golden age to Marrakech. Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (the Golden) financed his wealth through control of the Trans-Saharan gold trade and the invasion of the Songhai Empire. He built the El-Badi Palace (today an impressive ruin) and the Saadian Tombs — mausoleums of such splendor that even the succeeding dynasty respected them (and then walled them up for 200 years).

The Alawites (from 1668)

The Alawites — the dynasty still ruling today — moved the capital to Fès and Meknès. Marrakech lost its capital status but remained an important trading city. Sultan Moulay Hassan built the Bahia Palace in the 19th century — a masterpiece that shows Marrakech never entirely lost its splendor.

The French Protectorate (1912–1956)

In 1912, Morocco became a French Protectorate. Marshal Lyautey had the wisdom not to demolish the historic medinas but to build new cities (Villes Nouvelles) alongside them — hence, the Medina and Gueliz coexist in Marrakech. The French built roads, railways, and hotels (La Mamounia!) and made Marrakech the winter quarters of the Parisian elite: Churchill painted here, Edith Piaf sang here, and Saint Laurent fell in love here.

Independence (1956)

On March 2, 1956, Morocco gained independence under King Mohammed V. The Alawite monarchy survived and continues to rule to this day — since 1999 under King Mohammed VI., who is cautiously advancing modernization.

Marrakech Today

The city has developed into an international tourism metropolis: 12 million visitors per year, a booming riad scene, international film festivals, and a growing art scene. The earthquake of September 8, 2023 (magnitude 6.8) struck the Medina and destroyed historic buildings and villages in the Atlas — reconstruction is underway. Marrakech itself recovered remarkably quickly, but the mountain villages will need years.