Brief History of Marrakech

The imperial city of Marrakech was founded in 1062 by Sultan Youssef ben Tachfine, who is credited with building the defensive walls surrounding the city. These walls were extended to 19 km during the Almohad and Saadian dynasties. They are notable for their color, ranging from pink to red, and are adorned with 200 square towers (borjs) and nine monumental gates. At that time, Marrakech’s prosperity made it the capital of an empire stretching from Algiers to the Atlantic and nearly to Senegal from the Mediterranean.

After four centuries of Berber dynasties from the Atlas Mountain tribes (the Almoravids, Almohads, and Merinids, who ruled until 1465), the 16th century saw the rise of the Arabs. The wealthy Saadians (1554 – 1603) played a crucial role in the unification of Morocco. In 1659, the Alaouites came to the throne (with Moulay Ismail, the most famous of all sultans, ruling from 1672 to 1727), and they still govern the country to this day.

One of the most representative sites from this period of Moroccan history in Marrakech is located in the Kasbah. In a small garden, the 16th-century Saadian tombs are among the finest examples of Islamic art, notably due to their intricate stucco decorations and cedar ceilings of the mausoleum.

In 1912, the Treaty of Fes recognized Morocco as a French protectorate under the sovereignty of the sultan. Over the following forty years, the country experienced significant economic development due to the French-developed railway and road infrastructure, the introduction of hydroelectric power stations, irrigation systems, and the establishment of national education. The commercial and residential district of Guéliz was completed shortly before Morocco regained its independence in 1956.