A square, unique in the world

Morocco | Anno 2011

 

Friday, April 22 | Essaouira – Marrakesh – Koutoubia – Djemaa el-Fna

Saturday, April 23 | Marrakesh – Jardin Majorelle – Bahia Palace – Saadian Tombs

Sunday, April 24 | Ourika Valley – Iraght

 

 

Friday, April 22 | Essaouira – Marrakesh – Koutoubia – Djemaa el-Fna

The west wind drives ash-grey clouds towards the city, but we don't care. From now on, we leave the Atlantic coast behind and head decisively toward our final destination: Marrakesh, about 200 km inland.

However, Aziz has a mandatory stop in store for us before we get there – the Coopérative Féminine Tiguemine Argane. There's no actual production happening here; the place is entirely focused on sales. Nevertheless, as soon as our bus arrives, a few women hurry to their makeshift workstations to demonstrate the craft of argan oil production.

 

Argan tree fruit in three stages

Peeling argan tree fruit

Raja explains the process. The fruits of the argan tree are harvested in August and September, so they always work with the fruits from the previous year. After peeling the dried fruits, a smaller shell appears. Using two stones as a hammer and anvil, the women carefully open this shell to extract two to three almond-like nuts. These nuts are roasted and passed through a manually operated mill. A thick paste flows out, which is gradually thinned with lukewarm water and kneaded by hand for two hours. What rises to the surface is culinary oil, while soap is made from the remaining thick paste. For the production of cosmetic oil, the nuts are not roasted. Raja attributes a range of qualities to the substance – rich in vitamins, omega 3 and omega 6, an effective remedy for cholesterol, diabetes, wrinkles, acne, psoriasis, eczema…

 

Pressing of fruits of argan tree

Our half-hour delay appears to have been enough for the rain clouds to catch up with us. Through the drizzle, we drive along the comfortable R207, heading further east between walled grain fields.

Education is completely free and has been compulsory from ages 6 to 16 since 1962

With the last long bus ride ahead, Aziz has a few gaps in his lectures to fill. For example, about education. In Morocco, education is completely free and has been compulsory from ages 6 to 16 since 1962. Only in rural areas can children escape this obligation if they need to help their parents with livestock or in the fields. In secondary education, students – actually their parents, as Aziz nuances – can choose vocational training.

People with disabilities are receiving increasing attention in Morocco. They receive a monthly allowance of 100 euros, and in all cities, there are free facilities available for them. Employers are required to hire people with disabilities. Whether the protesters from last Monday in Rabat agree with Aziz’s explanation, we will never know.

From there it is only a small step to big politics. Morocco has six major political parties and about thirty smaller ones. However, their programs hardly differ from each other, sighs Aziz – promises for higher wages and less unemployment. Once elected, they do not keep their promises. Voter turnout in elections is therefore disappointingly low – only 33 % of eligible voters showed up in 2009.

Employers are legally required to allow trade unions in their companies. Employees have the choice between three unions. However, no strike pay is provided during strikes.

After yet another police checkpoint along the road, Aziz brings up traffic regulations. They have become significantly stricter in recent months with the introduction of a points system. Everyone starts with 30 points, and points are deducted for violations. If you drop to zero, you must surrender your driver's license. Additionally, traffic fines are quite substantial – up to 700 euros.

The death penalty still exists in Morocco, but it is usually commuted to life imprisonment

Moreover, Morocco generally has quite severe penalties. If you are caught with 1 gram of hashish in your possession, you face at least three months in prison. The death penalty still exists in Morocco, but it is usually commuted to life imprisonment, Aziz hastens to add.

 

High Atlas, Haouz plain

Gradually, the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas appear on the right. In the plains in the foreground, flocks of sheep graze under the watchful eye of a shepherd. Thus, we are slowly approaching Marrakesh, our fourth and final imperial city.

 

Marrakesh – Avenue Djemaa el-Fna, Koutoubia

It was the Almoravids who founded the city in 1062 and made it their capital. Since then, the city has not lacked popularity. One dynasty after another invaded the city and swiftly dismantled the achievements of their predecessors – the Almohads in 1147, the Marinids in 1269, the Saadians in 1521, and the 'Alawis in 1666. The latter still hold power there today.

The city's popularity was mainly due to its strategic position in the vast and fertile Haouz plain

The city's popularity was mainly due to its strategic position in the vast and fertile Haouz plain. Despite its turbulent past, the city can still boast an impressive city wall. Dating back to 1126, it is entirely built of red adobe, which gives the city its epithet The Red. The wall stretches 19 kilometres long, stands 2 to 9 meters high, and is 40 to 240 centimetres thick.

Not that adobe is such a formidable building material. It can often rain heavily here, and adobe quickly turns to mud. You can't really have that with a city wall. So, you constantly have to work with adobe to maintain your wall. Cavities in the wall assist workers, who perform some acrobatics to reach all the spots.

Today, the city mainly consists of two parts – the Ville Nouvelle or the New Town, and the old medina. On the outskirts of the city lies a palm oasis covering 13 000 hectares (32 000 acres). Tourism is the main source of income, but agricultural products such as olives, apricots, and grapes also thrive in the fertile plain. Fifteen thousand seasonal workers can find employment here. The essential water is supplied from two reservoirs on the Oued Tensift.

The very first surah of the Quran was revealed on a Friday by the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad. Hence, Friday is the day of prayer

Koutoubia, mosque of the Almohads

In the shadow of the impressive Koutoubia, we enjoy a delicious tajine islane – lamb with figs and walnuts. Both women and men, young and old, hurry towards the Koutoubia. Today is Friday, and the second prayer is approaching. This is the shortest but also the most important prayer of the week. The very first surah of the Quran was revealed on a Friday by the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad. Hence, Friday is the day of prayer.

A strange forest of unfinished columns extends beside the mosque. This is not an unfinished mosque like the one in Rabat; these are the remnants of the Almoravid mosque, which had to make way for a new mosque built by the Almohads.

In the past, the muezzin would ride a horse five times a day up a spiral path to the top of Koutoubia

Koutoubia with three golden balls and a gallows

Koutoubia, former mosque of the Almoravids

Since 1158, the impressive Koutoubia has dominated the city. This makes the 77-meter-high minaret a contemporary of the Giralda in Spanish Seville and the unfinished Hassan Tower in Rabat. The tower measures 12,8 meters on each side. Inside, a sloping path spirals upwards. In the past, the muezzin would ride up this path five times a day to call for prayer. Nowadays, that is no longer necessary. The call is still made live – not with a pre-recorded tape, Aziz emphasises – but through loudspeakers, allowing the muezzin to remain comfortably below.

Little do we know that in exactly six days, a bomb attack in this square will claim seventeen lives and injure twenty-five – mostly tourists

At the top of the minaret, we spot three globes beside a gallows. The original globes were made of gold, but they have vanished into thin air. A flag was hung on the gallows during the call to prayer, so that even the deaf would know what was expected of them.

A wide promenade directly across from the Koutoubia leads us to Djemaa el-Fna. Literally, this would mean Gathering of the Dead because the heads of executed criminals were displayed here. However, that is just one of many interpretations of the square's name. Today, at least, you don't have to expect such gruesome sights in this square, Aziz reassures us. Little do we know that in exactly six days, a bomb attack in this square will claim seventeen lives and injure twenty-five – mostly tourists.

 

Marrakesh – Djemaa el-Fna

That does not take away from the fact that the square is unique in the world. So much so that UNESCO has placed it on the list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity since 2001.

A square, unique in the world. So much so that UNESCO has placed it on the list of Master-pieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

Traditional water sellers

All day long, it’s a lively scene here. Acrobats, musicians, dancers, storytellers, water sellers, snake charmers, monkey trainers, traditional healers, fortune tellers – you name it, they all showcase their talents here. And professional pickpockets, Aziz adds with a grin.

 

Marrakesh – Medina

At the back of the square, we enter the old medina, which has been listed as a World Heritage site since 1985. It’s a bit of a disappointment. With its straight, wide streets, orderly layout, and strong tourist influence, it fails to charm us. The authentic atmosphere of the Fez medina is still fresh in our minds. Marrakesh’s medina simply can’t compare.

 

The authentic atmosphere of the Fez medina is still fresh in our minds. Marrakesh’s medina simply can’t compare

Marrakesh – Medina

But the Ben Youssef Madrasa quickly makes up for that. The courtyard of this Saadian madrasa from 1570 can almost stand comparison with the illustrious Marinid examples in Fez.

 

Ben Youssef Madrasa

The private Omar Benjelloun Foundation was responsible for the excellent restoration. This was by no means a simple task. Naturally, the costs were high, but the biggest challenge was finding skilled craftsmen – men who still knew how to restore marble, mosaics, stucco, and cedar wood.

 

Ben Youssef Madrasa

 

The windows are fitted with mashrabiya, intricately crafted wood or stucco latticework that allows residents to observe the surroundings without being seen. The French verb moucharder, meaning to spy, is said to be derived from this Arabic word.

The windows are fitted with mashrabiya, intricately crafted wood or stucco latticework that allows residents to observe the surroundings without being seen

In fact, such a medieval madrasa functioned as a free boarding school for students from outside the city, according to Aziz. While the local community took care of the students' food and clothing, they could dedicate themselves to the study of theology, medicine, algebra, and similar subjects.

 

Ben Youssef Madrasa

The 132 student rooms on the first floor are freely accessible, allowing us to get a sense of the life of an Islamic student in the Middle Ages. In two of the rooms, the items each student would have had are displayed – a small wooden writing desk, two inkwells, a supply of reed pens, essential study books, a few candles or oil lamps, cooking utensils, storage jars for dates or dried fruit, a water jug and a basin for ritual purification, a sheepskin as a prayer mat, and a floor mat with a cushion and blanket for sleeping.

A student from an urban environment could afford bronze household items, a student from the countryside had to make do with simple pottery

Wealthy student’s room

Rural student's room

In both rooms, the same belongings are displayed. Yet, there is a difference, we’re told. One student came from a rural background, while the other was from an urban environment. The latter could afford bronze household items, while the former had to make do with simple pottery.

 

Museum of Marrakech – Patio

In a former palace, the Marrakech Museum has found its home. Once again, Omar Benjelloun took charge of the restoration.

However, it’s not the artworks in the museum that demand the visitor's attention; it’s the museum itself. The spacious patio is dominated by an impressive chandelier. The rooms surrounding the patio astonish with their fabulous cedar wood ceilings, the stucco work on the walls, and the mosaics on the floors, walls, and columns. Even the modest hammam is captivating.

 

The rooms surrounding the patio astonish with their fabulous cedar wood ceilings, the stucco work on the walls, and the mosaics on the floors, walls, and columns

Museum of Marrakesh

Hamam

Hardly have we left the museum, or we find ourselves in the hands of Moustafa. He modestly calls himself L’herboriste du paradis, the Herbalist of Paradise. With a broad smile, he guides us into a small room where 590 identical jars line the shelves, each filled with powders or pieces in the most diverse shapes and colours.

Culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic herbs are Moustafa's specialties. Pure science is practiced here, that much is clear – Moustafa and his assistants are wearing white lab coats for a reason. While Moustafa praises an herb, his assistants swiftly pass the herb under our noses. We are mercilessly exposed to cumin, cinnamon, and saffron, to the blend of four fish spices, to Ras el hanout, the famous mixture of dozens of spices.

But the best is yet to come. Against warts and calluses, for better memory, against sinusitis and asthma, for better concentration, against headaches and migraines, for better blood circulation. Before you can think of a condition, Moustafa has a remedy for it.

In the musk we recognise a hint of vanilla, the amber has, in our opinion, a touch of eucalyptus

Medina – Shoe stores

L’herboriste du paradis

With a flourish, the assistant repeatedly pinches our left nostril closed while injecting the acclaimed herb into our right nostril with a sponge. On our right hand, he spreads a product against stress, while on our left hand, he applies something to ward off mosquitoes. On our left arm, we receive eucalyptus, and on our right arm, vanilla.

Even then he still manages to find virgin spots where we can compare a musk-based soap with an amber-based soap – in the musk we recognise a hint of vanilla, the amber has, in our opinion, a touch of eucalyptus.

Just in time to witness the great transformation. Dozens of green carts suddenly appear out of nowhere and quickly transform into popular kitchens

Feeling slightly intoxicated, we continue our exploration of the medina surrounded by a cloud of frivolous scents. It is half past four when we reach Djemaa el-Fna again, just in time to witness the great transformation. Dozens of green carts suddenly appear out of nowhere and quickly transform into popular kitchens, complete with tables and chairs, stocked with a generous supply of vegetables, meat, and fish. Soon, almost the entire square becomes one big open-air restaurant.

 

Djemaa el-Fna

Café du Glacier has a spacious terrace overlooking the square and knows how to cash in on its goldmine. You can only get in with a drink. From the terrace we look down on the hustle and bustle on the sun-drenched square.

Top

Saturday, April 23 | Marrakesh – Jardin Majorelle – Bahia Palace – Saadian Tombs

Grey clouds hang over Marrakech. It’s even a bit chilly outside. That’s not too bad, though, because today will be a day of monuments, says Aziz. So, we won’t be confronted with the open air too much.

 

Rue Yves Saint Laurent – Jardin Majorelle

Muhammad drops us off in front of a garden, the Jardin Majorelle, located on Rue Yves Saint Laurent. This seems like a strange name for a street in Marrakech, except that Yves Saint Laurent was a co-owner of the Jardin Majorelle. It turns out to be a small but incredibly charming botanical garden, dominated by cacti of all sizes and shapes, but also featuring abundant bamboo, palm trees, and ferns.

 

Jardin Majorelle

Tomorrow, demonstrations are planned all over Morocco, Aziz reports as we continue on our way. There is no reason for concern, as the government has promised a new constitution, and some are trying to keep the pressure on with these protests.

In the Bahia Palace, we learn that a grand vizier sometimes rivalled his sultan in grandeur

Bahia Palace

In the Bahia Palace, we learn that a grand vizier – the equivalent of a prime minister – sometimes rivalled his sultan in grandeur. When Sultan Moulay Hassan died in 1894, his son and heir was only 14 years old. Too young to bear such a heavy burden, his chamberlain, Ba Achmed, took charge as grand vizier. With power came wealth. Ba Achmed gradually transformed his modest Dar Si Moussa into an impressive palace, reportedly in honour of his favourite wife – Bahia means the beautiful. Four hundred craftsmen were busy with the project from 1897 to 1904.

 

Bahia Palace

During the French protectorate, Resident General Hubert Lyautey took up residence there. The infamous collaborating pasha, El Glaoui, also stayed there for a time. Both made adjustments to the building according to their preferences.

 

Bahia Palace

Rooms, halls, patios, and arcades follow one another. There seems to be no order to it; one room is attached to another, seemingly without a predetermined plan. But Aziz brings us back to the lesson. It's the cedar wood ceilings with their unique paintings that we should pay attention to. With our heads tilted back, we shuffle further through the complex. The ceilings are indeed stunning. And, by extension, so is the plasterwork, the columns, the niches, and the mosaics.

 

It's the cedar wood ceilings with their unique paintings that we should pay attention to

 

A large patio with a fountain once served as the residence for the four legal wives of the grand vizier. Each had their own space on one side of the patio – a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. Against the wall, Aziz points out the pedestal where their servant was to stand – a eunuch, of course. All the servants in the harem were eunuchs; the grand vizier was the only real man.

 

Bahia Palace

Aziz feels compelled to explain the concept of the harem. It seems like a phenomenon from a distant and strange past, but nothing could be further from the truth. Until the 1950s, harems were common in Morocco, and even today, they are not uncommon in Mauritania – a less developed neighbouring country, Aziz adds disparagingly.

Polygamy is legally limited to owning four wives, as prescribed by the Quran. However, at that time, any man with a bit of money and therefore a bit of power had his own harem. Take, for example, Moulay Ismail, the sultan of Meknes, who had no less than five hundred women in his harem.

Such a beautiful collection isn’t acquired overnight. It was the older women in the harem who assisted the grand vizier in this heavy task, as no one knew his tastes and personal preferences better than they did. They went looking for valuable acquisitions in surrounding villages. One might call it scouting nowadays.

If a chosen one voluntarily went along, her parents received financial compensation. If she resisted like a teenager, she would be forcibly relocated to the harem, and her parents would receive nothing.

Once the harem girls became sexually irrelevant, they made themselves useful as kitchen helpers or cleaning ladies

Harem girls remained the property of the grand vizier until he died. In principle, they were then free, but they generally did not leave the palace, as they had no life outside of it – even though they were treated like slaves within the palace. Once they became sexually irrelevant, they were put to work as kitchen help or cleaners.

Children born from the escapades of the grand vizier received an education but could never be officially recognised by him. Until six years ago, children of unmarried mothers didn’t even exist. They could not be registered and could not even attend school. However, thanks to the efforts of Princess Lalla Salma, the wife of King Muhammad VI, this situation has improved, Aziz adds with satisfaction. It has long been clear to us that Aziz has a soft spot for the princess.

The legal wives had no contact with these harem girls. From their wedding until their death, they never left the women's quarters of the palace. So it was a golden cage, nothing more, nothing less.

 

Bahia Palace – Courtyard of the harem girls

The harem girls, on the other hand, had a bit more freedom of movement. Their quarters were located around a large courtyard. There, they entertained themselves with music and dance, and they were also allowed to venture into the garden from time to time. That courtyard is currently being restored.

The palace even had a small Quran school. In the centre, there was a pit with water – not for ritual purification, but to keep the writing tablet clean once it was filled.

In the beautiful reception hall, the grand vizier greeted his guests. On the landing, the women could observe the proceedings behind the mashrabiya without being seen themselves. It is said that the musicians were blinded so that they could never see the women.

 

Walled Saadian tombs

We continue our exploration of Marrakesh through the Soppesalom souk. When Sultan Moulay Ismail moved his capital to Meknes in 1672, he did not hesitate to destroy all the buildings of his Saadian predecessors in Marrakesh. However, he dared not touch their graves. To keep them hidden from view, he had a high wall built around them. For more than two centuries, no one knew what lay behind that wall until French pilots rediscovered the Saadian Tombs in 1917.

 

Saadian tombs

Spread across three halls, seven sultans and 62 members of the royal family are buried here. One hall contains mainly children, another is dedicated solely to women, and then there is the most beautiful of the three halls – the hall with 12 columns, where the sultans lie. Outside, in the open air, lie dozens more friends and acquaintances. No names are inscribed on the graves, as for Muslims, that is of no importance. After all, one prays for everyone buried in a cemetery, Aziz explains.

 

No names are inscribed on the graves, as for Muslims, that is of no importance. After all, one prays for everyone buried in a cemetery

It’s very busy today. A long line is waiting to enter the hall with the 12 columns. It takes us three-quarters of an hour to get in before we can marvel at the beautiful hall with its simple graves, the exquisite mosaic work on the walls, and the stunning stucco on the columns and arches.

 

 

Everything that Marrakech has to offer in artisanal products is housed in one store, and at fixed prices, no less. That is the Complexe d’Artisanat. The suspicion that literally millions of items are displayed across the three floors does not seem exaggerated at all. The overwhelming abundance is frustrating – there are a thousand alternatives for every choice. We consider it quite an achievement that we manage to find the exit on our own.

 

 

We also want to experience the evening atmosphere with acrobats and street kitchens at Djemaa el-Fna. A bit of rain doesn’t deter us. But hardly have we arrived when the heavens open up and it starts pouring. Acrobats, snake charmers, and fire-eaters are nowhere to be seen in this weather. Yet the food stalls are doing good business. Under the tent awnings, it’s relatively dry.

Men in white aprons tirelessly work to entice us. Nowhere is it tastier, cosier, and cheaper than in their eatery. You can hardly take five steps without being kindly urged to take a seat with a menu waved under your nose. The prices are spectacularly low – soup costs 3 dirhams, or about € 0,27. Even in this downpour, they manage to create a lively atmosphere. Just imagine what it must be like on a sultry summer evening.

Even in this downpour, they manage to create a lively atmosphere. Just imagine what it must be like on a sultry summer evening

Soaked to the skin, we search for a taxi. Even by Moroccan standards, we are wetter than wet. Our jackets have to go in the trunk – they're too wet for the seats, the driver declares.

Top

Sunday, April 24 | Ourika Valley – Iraght

For our last day, a trip to the Ourika Valley in the High Atlas is planned. Blue patches in the dense grey clouds occasionally allow rays of sunshine to break through. For now, it seems to be staying dry – a relief after last night's downpour.

 

Ourika Valley

About three quarters of an hour after departing from Marrakesh, we ascend into the green Ourika Valley. The wide riverbed is largely dry, with the reddish-brown river water rushing tumultuously between the stones. Low grey clouds envelop the green mountain peaks.

But this setting is less innocent than it appears. In August 1995, a unleashed Ourika swept away hundreds of picnickers, resulting in four hundred deaths. No one saw the flood coming, as it hadn’t rained in the valley. The deadly water masses had formed higher up in the mountains.

We pass the turnoff to Oukaïmeden. That winter sports centre offers skiing just 70 km from Marrakesh.

 

Ourika Valley

We continue our ascent through the picturesque green valley. Below, the reddish-brown river babbles between the trees and fields. The recent rainfall has brought extra water, and white foam reveals how vigorously it searches for its path. Occasionally, peaceful villages appear in wide river bends or against distant mountain slopes.

A remarkable custom in this region is that little girls receive a calf from their parents. They are expected to raise it with dedication so that they can gift a fully grown cow to their groom at their wedding. Often, you see the girls walking along the road with their calves. However, in this weather, unfortunately, they are nowhere to be seen, Aziz grumbles.

 

Kasbah

At a quarter past ten, Muhammad drops us at Iraght. This is no more than a few houses along the road, about 7 km from Setti Fatma, the highest point of the road. Gradually, the valley has narrowed into a steep V-shape, significantly increasing the risk of flooding. In three places in the village, wide emergency stairs have been installed. In case of an emergency, people are alerted with megaphones. They can then ascend the stairs to safety, about twenty meters higher up – a local version of a tsunami alarm.

 

Stairs allow villagers to reach higher ground to safety if necessary – the local version of a tsunami alarm

On the other side of the river, restaurants try to entice us with their sidewalk cafés. Hanging bridges of varying designs and qualities invite us to cross the swiftly flowing river. Tables and chairs are set less than half a meter from the rushing water – if the water rises just 10 cm, the furniture will be gone. Not to mention what would happen if there were another flood, like the one in 1995.

 

Small tributary of the Ourika

We stroll down through the village. This venture literally goes awry after just a few hundred meters, as an overloaded tributary of the Ourika floods part of the street. The driver of a minibus understands our predicament and spontaneously lends a hand – twenty of us cram ourselves into a minibus designed for eight people.

 

Grandmother's kitchen

A little further on, Muhammad is waiting for us with his bus – coincidentally right in front of an artisanal shop. In the adjacent house, we discover a water mill. The miller gladly takes us to see his millstone. The water mill is hidden beneath the wooden floor. The last flood has severely damaged the water mill, and it has still not been repaired. Anyone who had their grain milled here had to give one-tenth of the flour as payment.

 

 

Grandmother is baking bread in a traditional oven. Her little kitchen is literally breathtaking, which means it’s filled with smoke. We take a glance into several rooms of the relatively spacious house – living room, bedrooms, and a pantry with a gas stove. In the garden, far away from the biting smoke, we sip our tea.

 

Ourika Valley

After returning to Marrakesh, driver Muhammad drops us off just after one o'clock near the Place du 16 Novembre in the Ville Nouvelle. For Aziz, the tour ends here. Today, he will drive back to his hometown, Agadir.

Snack Al Bahriya showcases fresh fish. Dozens of tables are packed, indicating that the kitchen is quite popular with the locals. We don’t hesitate and take one of the few available spots. We opt for fried sole, whiting, and calamari – served with fries. We also receive bread, saffron rice, olives, and various sauces.

Under a steel-blue sky, we stroll along the rose-bordered Avenue Muhammad VI towards the hotel. There’s hardly a cloud in the sky, and the thermometer reads 28 °C (82 °F). Just two hours later, grey clouds have again taken over the entire sky. It’s high time to return to Western Europe, where the sun reigns supreme and is said to drive the thermometers up to 25 °C (77 °F).

Top

Jaak Palmans
© 2024 | Version 2024-10-27 14:00