Sights and sounds of the Red City
Roaming the old district of Marrakesh’s Medina, Rizauddin Ibrahim is captivated by the scenes and architecture
WHEN I walk into Koutoubia Mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco to perform the afternoon prayer, I notice the congregation praying but not facing the qiblat which is the direction of Kaaba in Mecca. They are facing slightly to the left, about 10 degrees off the correct qiblat. Perplexed, I just follow the locals.
Located in the centre of Marrakesh, Koutoubia Mosque is the city largest and oldest mosque. It was built by Abdel Al Mukmin, the first caliph of Almohad Caliphate shortly after he overthrown the Almoravid Caliphate, on the site of Almoravid palace, Ksar el-Hajar.
However, there was an error with the orientation of the qiblat. A missed five degrees caused the mosque to be levelled and rebuilt in 1157. Unfortunately, it was again misaligned.
The orientation of the second mosque was further 10 degrees off. It later went through series of repairs and upgrading works including the construction of minaret in 1190 during the reign of Yacoub al Monsour, the third caliph of Almohad Caliphate.
The misalignment was still uncorrected when Yacoub al Monsour died. The warring political situation that followed left it as it is until today.
Koutoubia Mosque, which literally means Mosque of Booksellers, derived its name from the souk (market place) around it that mostly sold books and scrolls.
Even with the misalignment and the souk, the mosque is still the most important mosque in Marrakesh. Its 77m minaret tower topped by a golden dome and spire of four orbs is the city landmark.
The minaret is 77 metres high and its prominent height is maintained by the city ordinance that prohibits tall buildings to be built around a certain radius around the mosque.
When Morocco was under French influence during the first half of 20th century, the French built a new, well-planned city in a “ville nouvelle” style and used Koutoubia Mosque as the landmark. It is the Gueliz District that radiates towards the north-east
from the mosque. Today, Koutoubia Mosque can be considered as the landmark that separates modern Marrakesh from the old district of Marrakesh’s Medina.
RED CITY
I first saw the tower of Koutoubia Mosque from the boulevard of Menara Garden, an orchard of dates, olive and other fruits left by Abdel al Mukmin. The mosque stands 3km away at the heart of Marrakesh, the old walled city called Medina.
The Medina comprises fortified walls made from orange-red clay which gives the city its nickname the “red city”, stretching for 19km around it. It was first built in the year 1122 by Ali ibn Yusuf during the Almoravid Caliphate.
Within the Medina’s wall, the town is divided into quarters for different communities. In the past, each community shared communal facilities like well and fountain, bakery, hammam or madrasa.
Life within the walls is less hectic compared to modern Marrakesh. But the streets in the medina are not fully pedestrianised as there are always goods-carrying donkeys, horse-drawn carriages and youth riding mopeds.
There is no pavement between the shop and the street. Goods overflow from the shops onto the streets, made narrower by hawkers with pushcarts selling fruits and various kinds of pastry.
It is the street scene that provides an interesting sight for visitors. But the real gems inside the medina are the Moroccan traditional houses called riad.
Usually belonging to rich merchants, courtiers or high-ranking persons, the riad is square in shape with an open-air courtyard usually with a fountain in the middle.
Two or more storey in height, the riad lacks large windows that face outside. Instead, there are doors, windows or verandah facing the open-air courtyard. Many riads have been turned into hotels, restaurants or museum.
GRAND PALACE
In the south of Medina near Mellah Quarter, I visit Bahia Palace and see the city’s finest riads in it. This 19th century palace is one of the most beautiful sights in Marrakesh.
It was first built in 1866 by Si Moussa, the Grand Vizier of Sultan Moulay Hassan. After his death, his son, Bou Ahmed took over the position and enlarged the Palace. Bahia Palace complex now covers 8,000 sq metres consisting of 160 rooms, riads and courtyards.
Bahia Palace combines Andalusian and Moroccan Moorish traditional architecture with Islamic principles which are quite visible as soon as I enter the palace.
Delicate stuccos adorn the facade of the arched columns that face the garden and fountain of its open-air courtyard. The ceiling in each room or salon is adorned with carved and painted cedar wood.
Exploring further, through one of the salons, I come into another courtyard of arcaded court around it and then into the grand courtyard of Cour D’Honneur or Court of Honour where there is a pool and fountain in the middle.
From here, through the arched vestibule, I reach the grand Riad of Si Moussa whose walls and fire places of its halls are decorated with delicate Moroccan geometric tiles pattern called zellij and colourful stained glasses too.
ANCIENT KASBAH
But Bahia Palace is not the oldest in the Medina. Still in the southern part of the medina, there is a citadel or kasbah that has been around since the time of medina itself.
Here are the remains of El Badi Palace built in 1578 by Sultan Ahmed Al Mansur, the great Sultan of Saadian Dynasty. The palace was left to ruin after the fall of Saadian Dynasty. But the Saadian Tombs, however, are still preserved.
When Saadian Dynasty fell to the Alouite Dynasty, Sultan Moulay Ismail, the second ruler of Alouite Dynasty had El Badi Palace systematically destroyed when he entered Marrakesh.
Out of respect as it is unIslamic to desecrate the grave, he did not destroy the Saadian Tombs adjacent to El Badi Palace. Instead he sealed all the entrances to the tombs. In time, they were long kept hidden and almost forgotten, until 1917 when French archaeologists discovered them thus ensuring their preservation.
Entering the area of the tombs, I come to its garden of citrus, rosemarie and roses. There are a number of gravestones covered with brilliantly-coloured tiles in the gardens. These are the graves of other members of Saadian family and loyal servants, which include a few Jewish graves.
The real beauty is inside the mausoleum. There are stunning domed ceilings, detailed wood and marble carvings, mosaics and intricate plasterworks.
A FEAST
Like any other medina in the Arab world, Marrakesh’s medina has its own bazaar or souk. It is covered by shades and located almost at the centre of medina.
My senses are awaken the moment I enter the Souk. Dazzling colours of lanterns, leather bags, carpets, babouche slippers and djalaba robes catch my attention. At same time, a whiff of mint, olive and argan tease my olfactory system, while chaotic noise from vendors and their customers too hit my eardrums.
I spend hours wandering in the souk. Part of it is spent on haggling for babouche slippers, djalaba robe and trinkets made from copper. The other is on navigating through alleys which all look the same.
By the time I am finished with shopping, it is already dusk. Exiting the souk, I come into the square of Jama al Fana. I am at the right time as Jama al Fana only comes to live after dark.
Stalls offering myriad kinds of food and drinks are just being set up. Snack stalls offer dates, dried figs, almond and walnut, while for drinks, there are stalls selling fresh juices of orange, grapefruit and pomegranate. For those who want to sit and enjoy their dinner, there are stalls that serve fresh cooked meals.
Browsing from stall to stall, I can feel the festive atmosphere. Drum beats and loud music fill the air. People gather around street performances that are scattered all over the square.
There are acrobatics shows, slapstick comedy acts, dancers, snake charmers and games of hoop-the-bottle.
This hoopla has been here since the year 1050 when the square was used to perform public executions. Hence its name Jama al Fana which means Assembly of Death.
This continuing folk tradition has been declared by Unesco as a Masterpiece of World Heritage. As a foreigner, I’m an interloper to all these spectacles, but the excitement of being here is real.