Exploring Marrakech: A Journey Through the Mellah and the Majestic Bahia Palace

Welcome to the Destination Morocco podcast, the show that takes you away to the beautiful country of Morocco. I am your host, azadeen Al-Mustakim. In each episode, we explore Moroccan culture, history, attractions and activities real and practical information coming from experienced travelers and native Moroccans like myself. And now let's go exploring. Marrakech is perhaps the most popular destination in Morocco, the place that's at the top of most travelers list of what they want to do and they wanted to see and visit. We see that, in our numbers alone, our most popular episodes have been the ones that describe Marrakech, including the highlights of Marrakech from February 2022 and activities and advice for travel in and around Marrakech from April 2023. You can find these episodes and more when you visit Destination Morocco podcast at destinationsmoracocom, and find the player on the podcast page or, of course, in your favorite podcast listening app, where on Apple, google, spotify, amazon, iheart and more. On today's episode, our local guide Yusuf takes us through a district full of famous historic sites, starting with the Mellah, the historic Jewish Quarter dating back hundreds of years. The Mellah reflects Morocco's important heritage of integration and cooperation amongst different religions and ethnicities. It is bordered on one side by the ruins of the Badiya Palace, built back in the 1500s and nowadays a beautiful garden, and on the other by the famous Badiya Palace, one of the foremost attractions in Marrakech, and with Yusuf we visit both. Yusuf explains why and how the palaces were built, why the Badiya Palace was not abandoned but rather deconstructed, how people lived and went about their daily lives in the palaces, and what there is to see today, even how Moroccan stucco plaster is made and transformed into beautiful moorish and come along as we step inside the rooms where the sultans, their wives and servants once lived. Yusuf points out Marrakech's highlights and historic tidbits along the way, including how the name Marrakech is the root of the mother name Morocco, and he is great at teaching you some new Arabic words, slowly and with clear pronunciation. And listen really closely once we get to the Badiya Palace, as the cold prayers start in the background. On our walk today, you will hear some of tourists, big groups in the backgrounds being hustled alone. But, like me, you'll have your own private local guide, will go at your pace, sidestep the crowds and take the time to explore everything you need to know. The Mullah and the palaces are all just 15 minutes walk from the famous Jamal of Nesquare, or what we call the square at the heart of Marrakech. When you come for a visit, your riyadh will be one of dozens, centrally located in the historic city, with an easy walk and distance from the famous attractions, diverse sooks and great restaurants. Contact us at Destination Morocco. I'll learn more about how we custom build itineraries and tour packages. Visit our website at destinationsmiracocom that's destinationswithinSmiracocom to learn more and book your call today. Our next episode will follow up today's tour with part 2 of our walking tour, which takes us over through the old Medina and to the Marjorel Gardens. But now imagine you're standing with me along Riyad Bahiya, bab Al-Millah, the main street connecting the two palaces, with the Mullah in between, as you start his tour amongst the lively, energy and excitement of Marrakech. Welcome back to the destination Morocco podcast. Today we are in Marrakesh, morocco, and we have a local guide that I'm extremely thrilled and amazed to have him with us today. He's going to be with us for the next two days and he's going to talk a little bit about the Jewish history, a little bit about the Jewish Quarter which we'll stand in right here. It's sunny in Marrakesh, beautiful Yusuf. Welcome to the destination Morocco podcast.

Nice to meet you and welcome to Marrakesh. First of all, my name is Yusuf Rahali, because we have so many tour guides called Yusuf Tour guide since 1997 and based only in Marrakesh. We are here, in the Mallah, the former Jewish Quarter dating back to the 16th century. A lot of Jews came from Spain after the Inquisition, so in the 16th century, under the Saadian dynasty, one of the kings decided to give them this area for the Jews to live inside. It was a world quarter and you can see over there part of the wall and the gate. We call it Bab el-Mellah. Generally speaking, the Mallah was always built near the royal palace In Fez, in Marrakesh, in Rabat, wherever you go, and the first wall is the wall of the Mallah. Then behind there is another wall a little bit higher. That's the wall of the 16th century, the royal palace that we call El-Bagia Palace, because that king decided that the Jews live near the royal palace, which means that they were protected by the royal family. So when we talk about the Jews coming from Spain, they are called Sephardic Jews, as opposed to the Ashkenazi from the eastern part of Europe. In 1492, that was the fall of Granada. Then there was the Spanish Inquisition. Historically speaking, the Jews came to Morocco even before that, the first Jews that came to Morocco. It was known by that event, the destruction of the temple by Titus. But the Jews, they lived everywhere in Morocco, in the mountains, in the cities at that time. But in the 16th century that king decided to have them near the palace. So it was a walled quarter where they had their synagogues. So until 1950, there were 34 synagogues, jewish cemetery. They had their own markets, schools and restaurants, and they live in peace and harmony with the local people. Badia Palace. Now it's only a ruins. If we have a chance we can go and visit the ruins of El-Bagia Palace. So the mellah was divided into two parts. We have the main business part, which is characterized by these little balconies, because they brought this style with them from Spain. Downstairs we have the shops, upstairs the living halls, and this is the only quarter where we have the small little balconies. Then the second part we have from the other side, where there exists still the oldest synagogue, which was founded in 1492. And it is still an active synagogue. By the way, in Marrakesh we have only two synagogues the oldest one is inside the old Jewish quarter, then we have the new one which was built in the new city.

Now the question that I have Yusuf, please, what do you say? The oldest? You mean the oldest in Marrakesh or the oldest in Marrakesh?

No, we're talking just in Marrakesh. Thank you for that. And starting from 1950, the Moroccan Jews. They decided to leave. That was their choice.

No one told them in.

Morocco to go, which means that we have now a very small Jewish community. It's less than 300, that's all.

So what else can you tell us? What else can you tell the visitors Whether it's coming to Marrakesh, whether for a day, two days, you want to spend some time? What are?

some of the most spams. In Marrakesh. We have so many historical sites Since the foundation of the city middle of the 11th century. We have the famous square, yes, we have the Coutubia mosque, 12th century. We have Sa'adian tombs, the old royal cemetery, 16th century, and we have also the most beautiful site it's called Madrasa Ben Yusuf, the old Islamic university, Also founded in the 16th century. We have Bahia Palace, where we can admire the beautiful Moorish architecture. So it's in the history of Marrakesh that we will know the history of Morocco. In the past, Morocco was known by the name of our city, Murrakuş.

Absolutely. This is amazing. It's just incredible For me, coming back four years, I'm really really speechless, because I love this city. This is what I feel I belong. I mean, I've traveled everywhere, I've been so many places, but Marrakesh not just for me, but a lot of people has a special place in their hearts, so I'm very thrilled that you're here with us and share your extended knowledge and wisdom with us, with the audience. A lot of people appreciate, and I do appreciate as well. I see there's a lot of Jewish people that are coming from Israel.

They love Morocco, they are.

Moroccan. You know, the second generation, third generation 2022, 2023, about 200,000 Jews from Israel will come and visit Morocco. Have you seen some of that flow people from Israel visiting Morocco and how is that experience for them, how is the Moroccan community welcoming them and how is the whole experience from any two things the Jews from all over the world.

They are welcoming Marrakesh in Morocco in general, but the Moroccan Jews. They felt something about the connection, yeah. That only themselves they can express it. And recently, after you know, two years of COVID. So now we see a lot of Israeli tourists come in my groups, individuals, etc. Okay, Thank you.

This concludes our little section about the Mullah, the Jewish Coral, and stay tuned for more. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Good afternoon. We are in another location, steele Marrakesh, the beautiful red city of Marrakesh, and right now we are at the Bediyan Palace and again we have Mr Yusuf with us and he's going to give us a little bit of history, a little bit of information that it's going to be extremely valuable to the listeners. So, mr Yusuf, welcome again.

Now we are inside one of the oldest monuments in Marrakesh, the ruins of El Badia Palace, built in the 16th century between 1578, and it was finished in 1603, which means more than 28 years to build this palace. El Badia, it's an Arabic word. What does it mean? It means the marvelous, the incomparable, because the Sahadian king, the famous one, ahnad Al Mansour I Dabi, he decided to build this palace immediately after winning the battle of the three kings against the Portuguese. That's why it was called Al Mansour the victorious. So the three kings were Portuguese. No, the Portuguese king, don Sebastião, and two Moroccan kings who were fighting again, who had the right to rule. Ahnad was just a simple soldier, but he was able to win this battle. Then he was declared the king. So the three kings died in this battle. Even if he said that, don Sebastião, they never found his body. So to celebrate this victory, he decided to build this palace. A lot of things were brought from outside Morocco, like the marble from Carara from Italy, like the unex from India, gold from Timbuktu, crystal, again from Venetia, from Italy. So the whole palace is more than 18 acres, more than 360 rooms, 11 quarters of the guests. There are four main pavilions. One is called the green pavilion. It was totally decorated with green tiles. Another pavilion was called the pavilion of the 50 columns 50 marble columns yes, the crystal pavilion. Imagine this, a pavilion made of crystal in the 16th century. Then, of course, we have the pavilion which is called the haizuran. That was the name of his wife. Unfortunately, now it's only a ruins, because it was destroyed in the end of the 17th century by the Alawait king, moulay Ismail. In fact, he didn't destroy it, but he decided to take everything from this palace in order to build his palace in Mecnus, and for this he needed 10 years, can you imagine? So I'll tell you something, because from time to time the king Ahmad visited the palace to see how the works were going on. And one day he was with his what you call the jester, and he asked him what do you think of my palace? And the jester answered it's going to be a very beautiful ruins. Oh, my goodness, and he was right. Now it's a beautiful ruins the old saddian tombs, and especially the burial room of the kings. It's exactly the same type of architecture. We still have it in the tomb because, luckily, the tombs were not destroyed. So it's the same type of architecture, which means that if? one visits the ruins of Fahilabadiyya palace, it should go and visit the tomb. It's an extension.

Yes, I remember as a kid I visited the saddian tombs as a kid. I still remember, but I've never been here, so this is a beautiful be an opportunity also to visit them. Inshaallah, so this is really really amazing. I mean, it's just a lot of history and I remember reading in our history what happened with, you know, king Gwunas Mehal, and that he took most of everything, which is not very fair, but Macanass is one of the imperial cities as well.

Exactly, it's the fourth imperial city in.

Morocco, absolutely. Where else can you tell the visitors?

Concerning the Badiyya palace, one of the oldest exhibited things inside the Badiyya palace is what we call the Al Minbar the pulpit chair which has more than 1000 years, but sometimes they don't allow people to take pictures or videos. But if one wants to see it, it's possible. Okay, we'll try our luck. Okay, perfect, thank you so much. You're welcome, yalla. Now we are inside the Bahia Palace. Bahia Palace was founded in the middle of the 19th century by the Grand Vizier, ahmed bin Musa. The Grand Vizier, that was the title that was given to the King's advisor. The King was only a boy, 15 years old, which means that he had no power. So the Grand Vizier had the power and he succeeded to build a huge palace. It's more than 8 hectares Roughly. It's about 18 acres, 5 hectares gardens, 3 hectares buildings, and it took more than 16 years to build it. Then he decided to call it Bahia. Bahia was the name of his favorite wife. He had 4 wives and 24 concubines. So today we are going to visit only 5 different quarters and one garden, as the rest is closed. It's not visited at all. We start from the administrative quarter and we have the waiting rooms 3 waiting rooms. Why 3 waiting rooms? Because of the 3 communities at that time Burmese, arabs and Jews. By the way, we are in the waiting room for the Jewish community, where you can see.

David's Ark.

The first quarter is characterized by this little courtyard that we call, in Arabic, riyadh. This is the main characteristic of old houses inside the Medina, there is always a courtyard to keep the building a little bit cooler. So, concerning the architecture, that's what we call the Moorish architecture, like what we can see in southern part of Spain, in Granada, cordoba Alhambra this is the Alhambra of Morocco.

That's incredible. Actually, this is extremely busy. I see it's everywhere. It's just unbelievable. Is it always this busy, or we came here at?

busy time? No, normally June in Morocco is the end of the season, but this year we have so many tourists and it's even more than before, covid.

So the numbers are even better than before, what it was back before the coronavirus, exactly.

So, if you don't mind, we're going to talk a little bit about the Moorish architecture. So here we can see three main elements. First, the mosaic, the tiles, which were put piece by piece, everything by hands. We have what we call the stoko. Moroccan stoko is a mixture of plaster, marble powder and egg white. They put first a block, they draw the motifs, then they start chiseling on the place.

Wow, so everything is done in situ, as we say. Versus made somewhere in the mix. Then we have the third element is the wood?

You can see ceilings, doors, windows these are all made of cedar wood. Why cedar wood? Because first we have the Atlas Mountains, the middle Atlas, where we have the biggest cedar forest. It's used because it's long-lasting, it gives a good smell, then termites bugs. They don't like it and it's painted. You will see that each room has a different design and painted using just natural dyes. When it's painted down, then put up later, piece by piece.

Is there a reason why each room is different and separate and has its own design?

Wow, this is to show the skills of the artisans. So this is what I show off. And also the Grand Vizier brought the best artisans from all over Morocco, that's incredible, not only from. Marrakech, but from all over Moroccan cities. Now, if you don't mind, we're going to see the reception room. Yes, I will follow your lead. Now we are inside the living quarters of the three wives. There are three different rooms. Each room is different from the other in the size and in the architecture and, of course, bahia, the favorite wife, had her own apartment. Oh, wow, Okay, so we can have a look inside, and I would like to tell you something about the Moorish architecture. I see it. Yes, oh, wow. That's very impressive. It was influenced by the Islamic art, so it's forbidden to draw humans or animals. What we can see, just floral decorations, geometric, like in the art of the tiles. And also we have what we call the Arabic calligraphy. The Arabic calligraphy is at the bottom. Sometimes the two famous words, and they are repeated in the whole palace. These two words are in Arabic. We say al-aafia, which means health, al-baqia, everlasting, everlasting health, amazing. So each room is different from the other.

I can see the difference here, even in the price. Different ceilings yeah, I mean it's.

Colors. As I told you before, these are all natural dyes, like poppy flower for the red, the white, almonds for green, yellow is saffron, henna is orange, pomegranate skin, et cetera. We have also mineral dyes Like indigo, like cobalt, like antimony, and these are all natural. Okay, this is impressive. Now, after the living quarter of the wives, we're going to the living quarter of the concubines.

So we're just walking to the next stop and, oh my gosh, this is beautiful. It's called another beautiful room. Please enlighten us.

Just here we have a ceiling which is like a boat, but upside down. Why Is to keep the room a little bit cooler. And the ceilings, they were first painted down, then fixed up Like a piece by piece or by panel by panel put together.

So let me just say that again. So basically what you're saying is the ceiling is in a shape of a boat. And it was made on the ground, then, piece by piece, mounted into the ceiling wall Exactly. That's incredible, wow, I see.

And just to explain something, when there is a warm air coming inside, say it's fine, space up.

I see.

When it comes down, a little bit cooler. Wow, natural air conditioning, that is new. And something also very important the thickness of the walls, so that helps the room a little bit cooler.

So the thickness of the wall? It looks like it's about one meter thick, so it's really really hard, for when the place is cold it's very hard for it to be hot and stay hot. What else can you share with us? Please yourself. This is beyond impressive.

For example, we have what you call symmetrical, because if you look at this side, each motif is repeated in the other side. It's like a mirror image or symmetrical, also very important in the Islamic architecture.

So basically, what you're saying is if you cut the room in half, split it in half one side will match the exact.

Exactly, it's like a mirror.

Yeah, very impressive.

So through this room we can go to the Concobines Quarter, another beautiful section in the palace, the biggest courtyard in the whole palace.

That sounds amazing and I'm just gonna follow, mr Yosef. I can't wait. This is incredible. So we just walk into the next stop. The heat outside is probably about 100 degrees, but you don't really feel it. Being inside it feels really really cool and breezy, wow, oh my God, I've seen this in pictures thousands of times the inside, and I'm standing right in the middle of it. This is beyond impressive. It's just incredible. Let me, yosef, please excuse me. I have give me just a moment. I'm taking this side in because this is my first time being here, like I said, in four years, this place. I don't remember visiting this place, even as a child, but I've seen it in pictures Thousands of thousands of times in different angles, different areas. But being here, live in front of it, it just wow. Doesn't even do justice.

So this is the biggest courtyard in the Bahia Palace, or what we call the Concobines Quarter. We have 12 rooms, two per room, which means 12 rooms, 24 concobines. Each room is different from the other. Okay, from the inside, from the inside, the decoration also. By the way, the courtyard was used as a setting of a lot of movies. Oh, wow, yeah To say. Only one is Charlie Wilson's War.

Yes, tom Hanks, tom Hanks, he's a member. Yes, with Julia Roberts.

Exactly, and the courtyard is also used in Mahkesh. We celebrate the Spring Festival and there is a show here for three nights. Music, traditional music. Of course. The area behind that's the one which is not visited at all, so the area behind it looks like it's under construction.

Is it visible to the public? It's never visited by the public.

It's never visited. Just the biggest room in the Bahia Palace is that one. Now it's closed for some renovation and in the corner, for example, we have a small hamam. Oh my god, it's a kind of steam bath that's the concovines could use without going outside the palace.

Yes, and I just want to mention just something else. If I could please use the hamam or the steam bath.

It's like a sauna.

Yeah, it's really, really common in the old days to have your own instead of going and using the public one, which is each neighborhood has normally one. So this is it's part of you know, has a little bit more privacy. It's a private and you know this is beyond luxury. You said this is amazing. Thank you for sharing this with the audience.

So let's have a look inside one of the concovines rooms, just to have an idea.

So let me just double check. You said the concovines there's. There were 24 of them, so that gives you. You said two per room, so there's 12 of them, and now we are in the middle of one of them.

You can see also the beauty of the concovines Different ceiling.

The other thing that you notice. I know it's really really hard outside here, so this is. It's not done by mistake, definitely, but there's a lot of mathematics and there's a lot of physics involved in this and it's really cool room. You don't need air conditioning here and again. Like I said, the temperature outside is close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, but here it doesn't feel it.

In this room because among the concovines there were some that he liked more, so they were given the best, the best, the most beautiful room. You can even see a lovely view on the gardens In some rooms we have like closets, closet Personal things. Okay, then in this corner, this is something where the concovines could put their dirty clothes. They close, then it's collected from outside Because the servants yes, they were male servants. They were not allowed to see them.

So basically, this is like it's really an advanced way of dry cleaning your clothes, because they don't want to be seen by men, but by the outside. But this gives them that opportunity that they can put their laundry and somebody else on the other side opens a different door and they'll have access to that laundry and they'll get it done.

Now we're going to the only garden that we can visit, I see Then we will finish in the private apartment of the favorite wife, bahia.

My goodness, let's do this. I'm following you.

So a lot of things that visitors they don't pay attention to is what you see here this little opening.

We're here in the bottom of the bottom. Oh my God, this is how the cats get in and out, oh wow.

And another interesting detail, if you look with me, just like this we can see the David style.

I see the yeah, the style of the yeah, yes, I see it.

It shows harmony, coexistence that was between the Muslims and the Moroccan Jews.

Yeah, yeah, definitely. I mean, you can see it throughout the city. You can see it throughout all the sculptures. You can see the old designs and this is just beyond incredible.

I'm looking at the ceiling and it's just beautiful garden which is the mother characteristic of the Moorish architecture. We find them in the palaces. We have a lot of types of trees, some for the fruit, some for the smells. The big ones, of course, are for the shade. Fountains everywhere For the irrigation of the gardens, sometimes just to hear the flowing of the water. Then in this section we have two beautiful rooms. This one was used as a small prayer hall, a mosque. The other one, which is unfortunately now closed, that was the Quranic school for his children, so we can have a look inside. It's another beautiful room, so the fountain here is used for the ablutions. Then this is the only section where you can see the stained glass windows. I see that when there is sunshine, all these colors are beautiful. And of course, the most important thing inside the mosque is what we call the prayer dish. This is to show us the right direction, to Makkah, richly decorated from bottom to the top With a lot of verses from the Quran.

I see that, yes, I recognize a lot of Wow. I look at the ceiling and it's the same thing that I'm noticing Everything is matching, everything is perfect, from the left to the right, from the right to the left, from the top to the bottom. I'm really dissecting everything that I'm seeing right now and I'm very grateful to be here.

So Now we are going to finish the visit of the Baye'a Palace, the private apartment. The whole palace was named after the favorite wife, bahia, or, as we say in Arabic, al-ba'ia, which means the brilliant, the brilliant.

I feel the shade. Can you tell us a little bit about the variety of trees.

Here we have even a flower, a banana tree. Here is the grapefruit. Oh, wow, oh, my goodness. The private apartment of the Bahia is divided into two rooms. Of course she had her bedroom. There is another one, smaller, just the rest. Then in the middle we have a place for the entertainment, but it was very private. Yes, yes, only who is the guest? And this is why the Grand Vizier accepted only the blind musicians to be in this section. Only the blind musicians. Yes, they were not made blind, but Okay so that's the news.

Blind by birds by accidents they are not to be blind. They didn't make them blind, so they want to see the beauty of Lululahiyah, exactly.

And also very important, the beauty of the palace.

The palace. Yes, the palace is just incredible. It's just Wow the colors, the way they fit together, the way they are put together, the way they match everything. It's just Wow. Okay, so I hope that you have enjoyed the tour of the Bahia Palace. Yousef, you have no idea, I loved it. This is incredible. This is why we do what we do. We do this for our guests, we do this for our listeners because we want to give them an experience that nobody else can give them. So I am very grateful to be here today. We're very fortunate to have you with us today. You're welcome, your knowledge. Thank you for that. You're welcome, wow. So this concludes our episode today. We did a little bit of the Jewish Korra earlier, and now we just did and finished the Bahia Palace, the one and only Bahia Palace. So if you are visiting Marquesh, whether for a day or two days, three days this is one of the must-stop places you have to stop and we're very fortunate that they gave us the opportunity to film everything, to record everything, without any hassle, and we appreciate that. Thank you, thank you.