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Marrakesh
Marrakesh or Marrakech (; , ) is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi Regions of Morocco, region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The city was founded circa 1070 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar as the capital of the Almoravid dynasty. The Almoravids established the first major structures in the city and shaped its layout for centuries to come. The red Walls of Marrakesh, walls of the city, built by Ali ibn Yusuf in 1122–1123, and various buildings constructed in red sandstone afterwards, have given the city the nickname of the "Red City" or "Ochre City". Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading center for the Maghreb. After a period of decline, Marrakesh regained its status in the early 16th century as the capital of the Saadian dynasty, with sultans Abdallah al-Ghalib and Ahmad al-Mansur embellishing the city with an array of s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saadian Dynasty
The Saadi Sultanate (), also known as the Sharifian Sultanate (), was a state which ruled present-day Morocco and parts of Northwest Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was led by the Saadi dynasty, an Arab Sharifism, Sharifian dynasty. The dynasty's rise to power started in 1510, when Abu Abdallah al-Qaim, Muhammad al-Qa'im was declared leader of the tribes of the Sous valley in southern Morocco in their resistance against the Kingdom of Portugal, Portuguese who occupied Agadir and other coastal cities. Al-Qai'm's son, Ahmad al-Araj, secured control of Marrakesh by 1525 and, after a period of rivalry, his brother Mohammed ash-Sheikh, Muhammad al-Shaykh captured Agadir from the Portuguese and eventually captured Fez, Morocco, Fez from the Wattasid dynasty, Wattasids, securing control over nearly all of Morocco. After Muhammad al-Shaykh's assassination by the Ottoman Empire, Ottomans in 1557 his son Abdallah al-Ghalib enjoyed a relatively peaceful reign. His successors, ho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walls Of Marrakesh
The Walls of Marrakesh are a set of Defensive wall, defensive ramparts which enclose the historic Medina quarter, medina districts of Marrakesh, Morocco. They were first laid out in the early 12th century by the Almoravid dynasty which founded the city in 1070 CE as their new Capital city, capital. The walls have since been expanded several times by the addition of the Kasbah of Marrakesh, Kasbah to the south at the end of the 12th century and by a later extension to encompass the northern neighbourhood around the Zawiya of Sidi Bel Abbes. The Gates of Marrakesh were for the most part established since the original Almoravid construction of the city walls, but most have been modified during later periods. Other gates were also added when the Almohad Caliphate, Almohads created the Kasbah, which itself has been expanded and re-worked many times since. History Almoravid foundation (11th–12th centuries) Marrakesh was founded in 1070 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, the early leader of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Almoravid Dynasty
The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almohads in 1147. The Almoravids emerged from a coalition of the Lamtuna, Gudala, and Massufa, nomadic Berber tribes living in what is now Mauritania and the Western Sahara, traversing the territory between the Draa, the Niger, and the Senegal rivers. During their expansion into the Maghreb, they founded the city of Marrakesh as a capital, . Shortly after this, the empire was divided into two branches: a northern one centered in the Maghreb, led by Yusuf ibn Tashfin and his descendants, and a southern one based in the Sahara, led by Abu Bakr ibn Umar and his descendants. The Almoravids expanded their control to al-Andalus (the Muslim territories in Iberia) and were crucial in temporarily halting the advance of the Christian kingdoms in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kutubiyya Mosque
The Kutubiyya Mosque or Koutoubia Mosque ( ) is the largest mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is located in the southwest medina quarter of Marrakesh, near the Jemaa el-Fnaa market place, and is flanked by large gardens. The mosque was founded in 1147 by the Almohad Caliphate, Almohad Caliphate, caliph Abd al-Mu'min right after he conquered Marrakesh from the Almoravid dynasty, Almoravids. A second version of the mosque was entirely rebuilt by Abd al-Mu'min around 1158, with Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, Ya'qub al-Mansur possibly finalizing construction of the minaret around 1195. This second mosque is the structure that stands today. It is an important example of Almohad architecture and of Moroccan architecture, Moroccan mosque architecture generally. The minaret tower, in height, is decorated with varying geometric arch motifs and topped by a spire and metal orbs. It likely inspired other buildings such as the Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat, which were built sho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
El Badi Palace
El Badi Palace or Badi' Palace (, also frequently translated as the "Incomparable Palace") is a ruined palace located in Marrakesh, Morocco. It was commissioned by the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty a few months after his accession in 1578, with construction and embellishment continuing throughout most of his reign. The palace, decorated with materials imported from numerous countries ranging from Italy to Mali, was used for receptions and designed to showcase the Sultan's wealth and power. It was one part of a larger Saadian palace complex occupying the Kasbah district of Marrakesh. The palace was neglected after al-Mansur's death in 1603 and eventually fell into ruin with the decline of the Saadian dynasty. Its valuable materials, particularly marble, were stripped away and reused in other buildings throughout Morocco. Today, it is a significant tourist attraction in Marrakesh and serves as an exhibition space. Notably, the Minbar of the Kutubiyya Mosque is disp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Provinces Of Morocco
The 12 Regions of Morocco are subdivided into 75 second-level administrative subdivisions, the Prefectures and provinces. There are 13 prefecture, prefectures and 62 province, provinces. Each prefecture or province is subdivided into arrondissements (only in prefectures of some metropolitan areas), municipalities (''communes'', sing. ''commune'') or urban municipalities (''communes urbaines'', sing. ''commune urbaine'') in other urban areas, and districts (''cercles'', sing. ''cercle'') in rural areas. The districts are subdivided into rural municipalities (''communes rurales'', sing. ''commune rural''). One prefecture (Casablanca) is also subdivided into ''préfectures d'arrondissements'' (sing. ''préfecture d'arrondissements''), similar to districts (''cercles'') except they are grouping a few arrondissements instead of rural municipalities. Note: The arrondissements and (urban) municipalities should probably be thought of as fourth-level subdivisions, on the same level as th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seven Saints Of Marrakesh
The Seven Saints of Marrakesh or Patron Saints of Marrakesh () are seven historical Muslims, Muslim figures buried in Marrakesh, Morocco. Each of them was a famous qadi, Muslim jurisprudent, scholar or wali (Sufi saint) venerated for their piety or other mystical attributes. Their tombs form the basis of a centuries-old annual pilgrimage or ziyarat, ziyara, during which visitors pray at each of their tombs over seven days. Historical background The tradition of a ziyara to the tombs of the Seven Saints of Marrakesh was created on the initiative of the Alawi dynasty, Alawi sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif (ruled 1672–1727) in the late 17th century. The motivation for this act was a political desire to exploit the popular influence of the Zawiya (institution), zawiyas (Sufi brotherhood institutions) and to counter the popularity of the "Seven Saints" of the Regraga Berbers, Berber tribe, which were the basis of another pilgrimage at Djebel al-Hadid near Essaouira at the time. There were ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Menara Gardens
The Menara Gardens () are a historic public garden and orchard in Marrakech, Morocco. They were established in the 12th century (circa 1157) by the Almohad Caliphate ruler Abd al-Mu'min. Along with the Agdal Gardens and the historic walled city of Marrakesh, the gardens have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. The gardens are laid out around a central water basin and reservoir, next to which is a pleasure pavilion dating in its current form from the 19th century. The reservoir and its pavilion, often framed in pictures against the background of the High Atlas Mountains to the south, are considered one of the iconic views and symbols of Marrakesh. Etymology The origin of the name ''Menara'' for the gardens is not firmly established. The name's first appearance (as ''Sahrij al-Manāra'') in historical sources is in 1579, during the Saadian period. The Arabic word ''menara'' (منارَة) variously means "minaret", "lighthouse", "lantern/beacon" or other elev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jemaa El-Fnaa
Jemaa el-Fnaa (), also Jemaa el-Fna, Djema el-Fna or Djemaa el-Fnaa, is a square and market place in Marrakesh's medina quarter (old city). It remains the main square of Marrakesh, used by locals and tourists. Name The origin of its name is unclear: ''jamaa'' means "congregation" or "mosque" in Arabic, probably referring to a destroyed mosque on the site. ''Fnaʼ'' or ''fanâʼ'' can mean "death/extinction" or "a courtyard, space in front of a building". "''finâʼ'' in Arabic commonly means "open area"; a straight translation would be "the gathering/congregation area". Other meanings could be "The assembly of death", or "The Mosque at the End of the World". Another explanation is that it refers to a mosque with a distinctive courtyard or square in front of it. A third translation is "assembly of the dead", referring to public executions on the plaza around 1050 CE. One specific explanation endorsed by historians comes from historical reports that the powerful Saadian sultan Ahm ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocco border, the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to Morocco–Western Sahara border, the south. Morocco also claims the Spain, Spanish Enclave and exclave, exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and several small Plazas de soberanía, Spanish-controlled islands off its coast. It has a population of approximately 37 million. Islam is both the official and predominant religion, while Arabic and Berber are the official languages. Additionally, French and the Moroccan dialect of Arabic are widely spoken. The culture of Morocco is a mix of Arab culture, Arab, Berbers, Berber, Culture of Africa, African and Culture of Europe, European cultures. Its capital is Rabat, while its largest city is Casablanca. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
T'hami El Glaoui
Thami El Glaoui (; 1879–23 January 1956) was the Pasha of Marrakesh from 1912 to 1956. His family name was el Mezouari, from a title given an ancestor by Ismail Ibn Sharif in 1700, while El Glaoui refers to his chieftainship of the Glaoua (Glawa) tribe of the Berbers of southern Morocco, based at the Kasbah of Telouet in the High Atlas and at Marrakesh. El Glaoui became head of the Glaoua upon the death of his elder brother, Si el-Madani, and as an ally of the French protectorate in Morocco, conspired with them in the overthrow of Sultan Mohammed V. On October 25 of 1955, El-Glaoui announced his acceptance of Mohammed V's restoration as well as Morocco's independence. Early life and career Thami was born in 1879 in the Imezouaren family, in the Ait Telouet tribe, a clan of the Southern Glaoua. His family was originally in a place called Tigemmi n'Imezouaren in the Fatwaka tribe, near the Tassaout river. His father was the ''qaid'' of Telouet, Mohammed ben Hammou, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Administrative Divisions Of Morocco
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocco border, the east, and the disputed territory of Western Sahara to Morocco–Western Sahara border, the south. Morocco also claims the Spain, Spanish Enclave and exclave, exclaves of Ceuta, Melilla and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and several small Plazas de soberanía, Spanish-controlled islands off its coast. It has a population of approximately 37 million. Islam is both the official and predominant religion, while Arabic and Berber are the official languages. Additionally, French and the Moroccan dialect of Arabic are widely spoken. The culture of Morocco is a mix of Arab culture, Arab, Berbers, Berber, Culture of Africa, African and Culture of Europe, European cultures. Its capital is Rabat, while its largest city is Casablanca. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
