Situated at the foot of the Atlas mountains, the imperial city of Marrakech is large metropolitant of contrast rich and poor, nosiy and tranquil. But Marrakech is also fascinating, full of history, the cultural center of Morocco and beautiful. If you enjoy a daily assault on all your senses then you’ll have a lot of fun. When the most popular sights include numerous references to “tranquility” and “peace” like the Majorelle gardens or the gardens around the Saadian Tombs you know you’re in for an interesting experience.
Majorelle Gardens and the Musuem of Islamic Art
In the 1920′s, French artists Jacques and Louis Majorelle created a stunning garden in the middle of Marrakech’s new town. The Majorelle gardens are filled with color, plants of all shapes and sizes, flowers, fish ponds and perhaps the most pleasing aspect, tranquility. The designer Yves Saint Laurent now owns the gardens and has also built himself a house on the property. The building that gets most of the attention however is the bright blue and yellow building the Marjorelles used as their studio and which now houses the Museum of Islamic Art. This small museum includes some good examples of Moroccan tribal art, carpets, jeweler, and pottery.
Saadian Tombs
The Saadian dynasty ruled much of southern Morocco during the 16th and 17th centuries. Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour created these tombs for himself and his family in the late 16th century, 66 of them are buried here. The tombs were sealed up rather than destroyed in the 17th century and were only re-discovered in 1917. Consequently they are beautifully preserved and the intricate mosaic is stunning. Despite being situated in the heart of the somewhat hectic old town (medina) the tombs are surrounded by a nice peaceful garden.
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