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Marrakesh

City in MoroccoMarrakesh lies inland in western Morocco, in the Tensift River valley just west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, at about 470 m above sea level.

What it's known for

Marrakesh is a major economic centre and tourist destination. Its walled old town, or medina, with its souks and the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, where storytellers, snake charmers and food stalls gather, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.

Fun facts

  1. It is called the 'Red City' because of its red walls, built in 1122–1123, and the red sandstone buildings that followed.
  2. Morocco was once known as the 'Kingdom of Marrakesh', and many European names for the country come from the city's name.
  3. The Koutoubia Mosque, named after the booksellers of the nearby market, has a 77 m minaret that likely inspired the Giralda tower in Seville.

Finding it on the globe

Go about 220 km almost due south from Casablanca, away from the coast: Marrakesh sits there, inland, with the High Atlas mountains rising to the south.

Easy to mix up

Marrakesh was the capital of the Almoravid, Almohad and Saadian dynasties, but Morocco's capital is Rabat, on the Atlantic coast about 290 km to the north-northeast.

Sources: Wikipedia: Marrakesh, Wikipedia: Jemaa el-Fnaa, Wikipedia: Koutoubia Mosque, Wikipedia: Rabat