The Old City of Marrakech: Life Behind the Walls

The Red City of Marrakech is known worldwide for its Medina, the fortified old city, and also for the UNESCO Heritage Jemaa el-Fnaa, a huge and bustling square beneath the Medina Quarter. In this courtyard, you can find snake charmers, performing Barbary apes, storytellers, water sellers in vibrant red outfits, henna tattooers, a variety of vendors selling foods and drinks such as grilled meat, lamb brains, snails, sausage links, couscous, and in the market (souk) nearby, you can find a huge selection of Moroccan Shoes, clothing, fabrics, home decorations, spices, perfumes, and countless other colorful stuff too numerous to mention here. There was a bombing terrorist bombing here on April 28 that killed 17 people, but as you can see nearly a month later things are busy and active. It hasn’t broken the spirit of the dynamic people who live here, not by a long shot.

Pickled olive vendor in the souk of Medina Quarter, Red City Marrakech, Morocco

Colorful pickled olives

This vibrant center of the Medina Quarter is full of merchants, artists, and tourists, however this old city is much more than just a tourism destination: This walled city was established in the 11th century, and people have been living in this area since. Even the very touristy Jemaa el-Fnaa is much more than just a tourist destination: locals actually come here too, and it has been so for hundreds of years.

Busy food vendors in Jemaa el-Fnaa, Red City Marrakech, Morocco

Busy food vendors in Jemaa el-Fnaa

The courtyard Jemaa el-Fnaa, and the souk nearby, along with many historical buildings scattered inside the wall, will need their own articles to make you feel the magic of this place. But now I want to firstly show you the charming old atmosphere of the life behind the red wall, nothing like what we had experienced before. It’s very different. It’s very strange. It’s very exotic.

Welcome to the medina quarter of Marrakech

The gate to the medina quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Welcome to the medina quarter of Marrakech, the old city behind the wall.

Typical pinkish orange houses and narrow and winding street with arches

Typical houses in Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Typical houses and street

A small alley - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Moped zooming down a small alley

A man leaving a mosque

 

Mosque - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Mosque

People

A man with his horse carriage in Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

A man with his horse cart

A woman of Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

A local woman receiving tea

A man spotted in Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

A man

Local kids - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Kids love to be photographed

Culinary delights

 

Vendor at Jemaa el-Fnaa - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Dried fruit vendor at Jemaa el-Fnaa

 

Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

A little restaurant that we loved, but it's deep in the labyrinth so we probably won't be able to find it again

Delicious and popular sausage links at Jemaa el-Fnaa, Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Delicious and popular grilled sausages at Jemaa el-Fnaa

Making snack (left) - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Frying snacks (left)

The market aka “souk”

The Souk of Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Metalwork in the souk

The Souk - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Fabric for sale in the souk

Storage

Pottery storage - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Pottery storage

Bicycle storage - Medina Marrakech Morocco

Bicycle storage... or...? I'm not sure what...

A cemetery inside the medina

Cemetery - Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

Cemetery

Inside a riad (traditional Moroccan house with garden/courtyard in the middle)

Inside a Riad - Red City Marrakech, Morocco

Inside a Riad

And finally, graffiti! We saw at least 2 of this boy, we need to find out the story behind him.

Graffiti in Medina Quarter of Marrakech, Morocco

We saw at least 2 graffiti of this same boy

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