Explore History Of Morocco With Your Marrakech Holidays

By Author: Amanda Sutcliffe
Total Articles: 85
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Marrakech is one of the most popular cities in the Kingdom of Morocco, visited by numerous tourists annually from different corners of the world. It is the country's fourth largest city and is the capital of Marrakech-Safi region. Tourists are always fascinated by its rich cultural heritage. While getting around in this city, you can witness an influence of the Berber culture at several places. Owing to the red walls of the city constructed during the times of Ali ibn Yusuf's reign, the city has got nicknamed as the 'Red City'. It has grown rapidly over the years and is today a hub of religious, cultural, and trading activities in the sub-Saharan and Maghreb regions.

Your cheap holidays to Marrakech would allow you to delve into its intriguing history as you explore the city's historic attractions. This region was inhabited since the Neolithic period by Berber farmers. However, Marrakech was founded as a city in the year 1062 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, the chieftain and second cousin of the king Yusuf ibn Tashfin of the Almoravid dynasty. ...
... Almoravids were members of the Berber dynasty. They were pious despite being learned warriors from the desert region and this is the reason why they built many mosques and Quranic schools. In the years that followed, the city grew and established itself as a religious and cultural centre.

During your Marrakech holidays, you can also have the opportunity to visit some historic palaces that were built by the Andalusian craftsmen from Seville and Cordoba. Most of them have been built in the Umayyad style and features cusped arches and domes having beautiful carvings. You'll also get to see the influences of designs from Andalusia, the Sahara, and West Africa in the designs of these structures. During the reign of Yusuf ibn Tashfin, the city became capital of the Almoravid Emirate.

While enjoying your Marrakech holidays, you'll get to witness several attractions that were built during the times of the Saadian rulers. They had taken over the reins of this region after a period of turmoil that the city went through, following the death of Yusuf II. The ruined monuments were restored and many palaces with fantastic embellishments were built. During the rule of the Saadian kings, Marrakech regained its lost position as a centre of the caravan routes coming from sub-Saharan Africa, Maghreb, and the Mediterranean. Sufism gained popularity during the late 17th century when Moulay Ismail ruled the city.

In the years since the independence of Morocco, the city became a popular tourist destination. This was largely owing to the fame that it received as a 'hippie mecca' during the 1960s and early 1970s. It attracted the attention of many rock stars and musicians, such as The Beatles and Jean-Paul Getty. Many of the wealthy individuals from France invested heavily in this Moroccan city, building palaces and mansions. In the year 1985, the area of old town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can visit this part of Marrakech to know more about the local traditions and culture.