is the city surprising and interesting. He is attractive to the tourist mainly that on his streets, appear, time stiffened. Really, in a historical part of the city – differently, in Medina – it is difficult to tell at once what now a century on the calendar. And the appearance of the city distinguishes it from other settlements of both the Kingdom of Morocco, and other countries. Business all that houses here traditionally built of clay bricks, and color of clay, sand and dust in this area – red-pink. Therefore, on an entrance to Marrakech before you the real pink landscape rising in the heated haze of the hot desert will open.
There is a city in the depth of the country, on the border of the Sahara Desert. The climate here rather hot in the afternoon, and at night happens cool – a commonplace for all deserts. Once it was founded in an oasis on the crossing of caravan tracks, and quickly got an important strategic and economic importance, growing rich from year to year.
The favorable location of the city drew to it attention of local governors, and a number of the Moroccan dynasties elected him as own capital throughout history. In the latest times when the capital of Morocco was transferred to Casablanca, it did not lose the value, having become the important tourist center. Here regularly there arrives a large number of foreigners personally to survey its sights or to go further – to Sahara tour. Near the city the international airport is located.
LifeGid recommends to visit one more imperial city in Morocco: Rabat is fortress on the ocean coast
Actually Marrakech consists of two main parts - it is already mentioned Medina where ancient pise-walled buildings, and a new part of the city where there are business centers, cafe, restaurants, modern hotels remained. However even new buildings build in traditional style here, painting their walls in red-pink color. The city is so beautiful that at different times apartments got world famous celebrities here – for example, the musician Jimmy Hendrix and the designer Yves Saint Laurent. Speak in Marrakech as in Arab, and in Berber dialects, however also French in which, as a rule, address foreign tourists is widespread.
Options where it is possible to stop, great variety is presented here – from luxurious five-star hotels in a new part of the city, to small and cheap hostels in Medina. Completely to plunge into the atmosphere of ancient Marrakech, it is the best of all to choose housing in the historic center. Absolutely remarkably will be to lodge in riyade-so call traditional Moroccan houses with blank external walls, heavy gate and the obligatory inside patio. In former times such device of housing helped to maintain a siege of enemies, today it remains a local highlight. Many riyada are converted in mini-hotels where it is possible to have the cozy room arranged in national style, to have a rest in the evening in a sun bed on a flat roof, to listen to murmur of a fountain in courtyard greens. Usually, in Riyad the stamping ware is placed everywhere, color carpets, hanging decorated weapon are outspread. Such option will be far more attractive, than the standard hotel room, and will present to any tourist the mass of unforgettable impressions.
The main attraction of Marrakech – the main square. It is stretched on the huge territory, and on it constantly something occurs. Here fortunetellers with packs sit, dervishes dance, trainers drive on leads of monkeys, and snake charmers play pipes before poisonous cobras. Here it is possible to put itself a temporary tattoo by means of henna solution – as Berber women historically did it – with taste to have dinner in one of numerous cafes with the ethnic cuisine, to get souvenirs and mass of other useful things.
The area is surrounded from all directions by malls where everything that can only be presented is on sale. Knickknacks for memory, t-shirts and attributes, ceramics, ware, jewelry, musical instruments – for each subject it is possible to bargain fairly. It is especially necessary to note products from skin – the thing is that in Marrakech the craft of manufacture and coloring of skin is strongly developed thanks to what it is possible to buy a jacket, a purse, moccasins, a suitcase or a bag, gloves here. Quite often, huge pieces of skin can be seen here directly on stone blocks of twisting streets, drying under sunshine after processing. The prices at the same time here quite humane, and the workmanship clearly exceeds the same Chinese analogs.
Towards evening over the area twilight is condensed and the public is entertained by the fakirs blowing from a mouth flame sheaves, and the half-naked acrobats twisting unimaginable pirouettes directly over pavement stones without any insurance. The live music executed on drums, pipes and national plucked tools is everywhere heard. Having appeared here, it is impossible to believe that somewhere the person submits space and uses computer technologies – feeling it here, as if you plunged into the distant past.
Make an impression and ranks where sell folk remedies and various medicines. Here it is possible to see live chameleons, lizards, turtles – as well as for what purpose they are applied what diseases them are healed, it is necessary only to guess. You will also see various powders, roots, broths in bottles here. And here – the barber's institution. By means of primitive nippers and without any anesthesia it is possible to extract cheap tooth here and though in Marrakech there are modern policlinics and hospitals, a considerable part of locals goes to similar doctors.
Several words about a high minaret what rises over the area and is seen practically from any part of the city. It is built in traditional Moroccan style, has the square section and the flat roof topped with three large spheres of yellow metal. In the afternoon these spheres shine in the sun, and make an impression of gold. Really, once neighboring nomad tribes believed that these spheres – from pure gold, and repeatedly tried to capture Marrakech to remove them from a minaret roof. Upon spheres are made of copper, though look more, than beautifully.