Exploring Marrakech: The Medina, Madrasa and Majorelle Garden

Welcome to the Destination Morocco podcast, the show that takes you way 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. Welcome back, thank you for joining us on the Destination Morocco podcast. If you haven't listened to our previous episode from August 1, I encourage you to do so and experience part 1 of our guided walk-in tour around the highlights of Marrakech. In part 1, we made 3 stops, focusing on the south side of the Medina, or city center. Our local expert guide, yusef, explained to us the Malah, the Jewish Quarter, its history and importance to Marrakech and why local Jewish population has declined in numbers, although there remains a small number of Moroccan Jews living in Marrakech. We then, ventured over to El Badiya Palace, a stunning room that was once full of jewels, art and precious stones. Yusef tells us the story of why it was built and what happened to it. After this, yusef took us back through the Malah Tidbahia Palace, which is still standing and it's one of the absolute must-sees of Marrakech. He described the stucco plaster, the inlaid stone artwork and the quiet, tranquil gardens. The episode was recorded after I had just arrived back in Morocco and I was so enthusiastic to see these sites again, learn some new information and share it with you. We realized we needed to episode to cover it all. So we continue today with part 2. A visit through the Medina itself, then to the Madrasat bin Yusef, or what is called Islamic University, before finishing at the famous Majorel Gardens. So many of our listeners and clients are keen to see this beautiful garden. It is truly an oasis among the hustle and the energy of Marrakech. I hadn't been there myself in years. It was a joy to be back On a day of 100 degree weather. The gardens kept a cool and comfortable 70 or so degrees Fahrenheit, and it makes me really proud. Yusef tells us who founded the gardens, the connection to Yves Saint Laurent, who was not the founder, but whose name is often attached to it. Some tips for photography and the best visiting times. Did you know that the Medina in Marrakech is one of the oldest inhabited city in the country, dating back to the 11th century? It was built to carry to the caravan trade coming in across the mountains from the Sahara Desert. Imagine the mix of cultures, languages, food and the goods. That was all happening right here, and it still does, just in a more modern way. You can follow in the footsteps of the ancient traders and contemporary tourists by booking a tour with destination Morocco. Make sure you tell us which of Marrakech's highlights you don't want to miss and we will add to your custom-built itinerary. Simply visit our website, destinationsmoracocom that's destinationswithans moracocom and you'll see the big button on the top where it says let's plan your trip. We're coming back to you again soon with more live content, stories from my trip to Morocco this summer and all kind of highlights to add to your Moroccan bucket list. In fact, we have decided to add a third episode per month to our podcast. You'll start seeing new episodes on the first, 11th and the 21st of each month. We would love to hear what you think about our lairest episodes. Leave us a message or DM us on Instagram at destination Morocco and make sure you follow us for more videos on Moroccan travel ideas. And now let's dive in to the busy, bustling Medina of Marrakech. Welcome back to another episode of Destination Morocco podcast. I have to speak slow because we are in the streets and it's a bit noisy. So this is the second day of Marrakech and we have Mr Yusef with us again. Thank you so much for being with us, very grateful, and I'm looking forward to today and the things that we're going to cover today. So what do we have for us in stores today? Yusef?

Good afternoon, welcome again. So after the historical sightseeing of Marrakech, now we're going to discover the Medina through its hidden sites. So the Medina of Marrakech is the second oldest city in Morocco, founded in the middle of the 11th century. It's more than 600 hectares. Of course we have a residential area and we have also the souks and the famous square. So inside each neighborhood of the Medina we have six buildings. I don't know. Five of them are still used, except one. So we're going to start with number one. Number one is, of course, the mosque for the daily prayers. In a neighborhood we can find two, three, up to four small mosques. They are used five times a day. Then we have the main mosque with a minaret or a tower. Of course, that one is also used five times a day and Friday, because it's the holiday, at noon time we have the big Friday prayer. Small mosques are closed. People should go to the big one. Okay, number two it's always near the mosque. There is a Koranic school and I can see one from here, it's for children. It's different from the madrasa, because sometimes some people they they are confused when we say Koranic school for children and we have Koranic school for adults. This is just for the children living in this neighborhood 10, 12 Maximum, boys and girls. Now at the age of four or five they start in the Koranic school, then at the age of six they go to the regular school. So number three is what we call the public fountain. That's the one which is not used, but we still have them. They have been restored and they are reserved. Okay, number four is the communal oven, which is still used, because people here they prepare the dough at home. They take it to the communal oven where there is a person who bakes for for the whole neighborhood Not only bread but also something to eat sweet, like fish, chicken cakes or Moroccan pastry is very famous. Okay, people prefer the communal ovens because inside, as you will see, they use only Wood for fire and wood flavors the bread. Okay, take the gentleman there is going to the communal oven.

Yeah, we see again his dough.

Then we have the public steam bath. We have hamam, as we say in Arabic, and we have always two, one for women, one for men, never together, okay, and it's still used. At least once a week people go to the steam bath for washing, scrubbing, massage etc. Then the last thing is the public toilets. That's something we have everywhere inside the Medina. Okay, so these are the six things I wanted to mention when visiting the Medina of Marrakech, the old Medina, the old city, of course. Okay, the Medina of Marrakech. It was built to be a trading city, so it was the meeting place of the caravan. It was the most important trading city in the whole south of Morocco. Caravans came from everywhere. They met here. At the beginning, they met in the square, yes, but when the city was expanded, they went to some special buildings that we call "caravan serai. And again caravan serai caravan serai. Yes, and inside the Medina we have over 200 caravan serai. A lot of them have been restored. They look very nice. They are not used anymore by the caravan people but by the artisans as workshops. Yeah, and we're going to see one or two. They look very, very nice. Absolutely Okay For the architecture of the caravan serai. We have always a big door. Long time ago it was used by the camels when inside they closed the big door and opened the small one for people yeah then there is inside the courtyard. That's where business took place. Then we have rooms downstairs and upstairs. The rooms upstairs, they were the sleeping rooms, the rooms downstairs, just to store the goods. And you will see also, we have a lot of pillars. These are the ones where they kept the camels. So they tied the camel to the pillar and they stayed two weeks, three weeks, until they finished. Then they moved to another.

Okay so so Marrakech, basically, was the main stop.

Everybody passes through Marrakech and and does their business to Marrakech was like what we say, a car, for we are not far from the Sahara desert, from the Atlas Mountains and also from the ocean. Where in the middle.

Yes, that's impressive. So what else can you tell us please, Youssef?

For the Hamman. We have a place where they heat. We call it the Farnatchi in Arabic, or the water boiler. So that's another place that we like to show to people.

Okay, it's part of the culture, okay so I just really explain a little bit more because to the listeners that may not be familiar with our culture, the Hamman, the public bath, it's an important Part of our daily lives. So you know, growing up as kids, we normally go to Hammam once a week and most of the time it's Sunday, right before school and we get ready and then for Friday prayers we get cleaned before that yes, absolutely Friday morning yes, and then attached to it, especially here in Marrakech, you know, the Furnace or the boiler room, like you said. It's really, really important because that's what we use to make and cook or bake or prepare the tangia, which is a stable in Marrakech. If you are mentioning this yeah, I mean, if you are in Marrakech you must, you must taste the tangia and, yusuf, would you please elaborate a little bit more about the Furnace and especially the tangia and the role it plays in the Marakshi culture?

yes, so the person who works in the Furnace, of course his job is is to heat the hamah and also to make more living, except that people preparing the tangia at home, they can bring it to him and he's the one who takes care. Yeah, yes, so the tangia that's just the name of the pot is one pot is different from tagine, yeah, which is two pieces only meat beef, lamb, chicken a mixture of 35 spices garlic, saffron, olive oil, salted butter, a little bit of water. Then we give it to the, to that man slowly cooked six to seven hours. Oh, wow, so the job of the man is always to check if it's cooked. It needs something he can add it. Okay, and it's the specialty, as you said, in Marrakesh. We don't have it anywhere else in Morocco, it's only in Marrakesh. Even Moroccans from other cities come in.

The first thing they want to eat is the tangia so when the gentleman takes care of the tangia or prepares it or makes it, you said six, seven hours. When you say six, seven hours, a lot of people might think, oh, it's gonna get dry, it's gonna be overcooked. But what we have is we call it taramad or you know it's just the equivalent when you're barbecue in is just, you know, you don't put it directly to the fire, but you put it as far as possible from the fire, let it cook slowly with the heat, and then it's, you know, finally cooked. Well, after six or seven hours, is that?

accurate. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's, it's true, it's not put inside the oven yeah, not directly no, it's, it's behind, where there are the ashes, ashes, yes it sounds delicious. I'm really hungry we can try it. We have to we have to let's go and discover these okay, perfectly.

So what we're gonna do is we're gonna stop recording for now and then we'll make the other couple stops. So thank you and stay tuned. Good afternoon, welcome back. We're still in Marrakesh and we are in a different location, which is Madrasat Ben Yusuf means the University of Ben Yusuf or School of Ben Yusuf, and again with us is the amazing local tour guide, yusuf. Would you please introduce Madrasa Ben Yusuf to the audience and give us a little bit of history about Madrasa Ben Yusuf? Welcome back.

Thank you. So here we are inside the Madrasa Ben Yusuf, or the Islamic University, founded in the 16th century and it was the largest university in Morocco. It's considered as the jewel of Marrakech, the nicest monument in the city, used until 1960. And it was closed. Now it's only a museum. This is where students came to study for five years to know everything about the religion, to memorize the Quran by heart and to know everything about the Muslim religion. It's more than 500 students. They were chosen only the best ones. Some of them even came from outside Morocco, but they should stay here five years.

So let me just make sure I understand what you're saying, yusuf. So all the schools who have attended Madrasa Ben Yusuf, they have to qualify to be admitted to the school, not anybody can come in no, no, no, not anybody.

They were selected. I did not know that. Only the smart ones the best students Once they were here. So everything was free, because this is paid by the government Only male students. Their age was between 18 and 20. I see After five years they became what we call imam. Then they were sent to different mosques. Yeah, villages, cities to lead the prayers and, of course, to teach other people who had not the opportunity to come to this school. So the students, they lived here. Because the building is divided into three parts, we have the students sleep in rooms, and there were more than 136 rooms. We have them upstairs and downstairs. Sizes are different Small ones for one student, we have four, two, four, three, up to four, and we have also in some rooms like bank beds, how I see. So that's the first part. The second one is there is a mosque inside the building. I can see it from here. Yeah, I can see it. There is a mosque. Yes, I see. So this means that the, of course, we have the nearest mosque, which is called Ben Yusuf Mosque, the first mosque built in. Marrakesh by the founder of Yusuf Ben Tashfi. So when he had a son, he was very happy because his son would be the king. So he decided to build this mosque and called it Ben Yusuf the son of. Yusuf. We are talking the end of the 11th century, yes, but the madrasa was built in the 16th century and because it was built near the mosque, so they called it Ben Yusuf Mosque. It's a good feeling to name it, even though it was built by another king, another different den, which means that these students, they used also the mosque as a place to learn. Yes, of course, some students were divided in the courtyard, which is the third part, and at the head of each group of students there was a teacher. So when we say like 500, 600 students, it's impossible here. Yes, some they went to the mosque and the others they stayed here.

That makes sense, because 500, 600, that's a lot of people, a lot of kids and a lot of students to manage. So they basically had to cut them or make them in small groups Small groups For better management and better learning experience as well. So I see the same things that we almost seen in the other monuments. You know the mosaic, the decorations, the woodwork, and I see it here. It's even better preserved. It's just incredible. It's just an amazing, amazing, amazing sight.

It's also because the madrasa was closed for three years.

Renovations Summer renovations yes, this is why it looks very nice, amazing, you know.

The same type of architecture, islamic architecture, tile works yes, a lot of Arabic calligraphy yes. These are all verses from the Quran. The Quran, okay. The stucco work, the wood, the carving, and yeah.

This is really interesting. You said when we, as Moroccans, this is the Zilij, we call it Zilij. Zilij we're very familiar with it, but a lot of people are not. So when you say mosaic, many people they think just the regular mosaic. But this is not any mosaic. This is very different and I can see it on the floor. I can see it in the walls Sometimes. You know, look at the ceilings. It's decorated with the woods, the recitations from the Quran, and I see some parts looking a little bit older than others because of, you know, the exposure to air, sun, all that stuff. Can you tell us the difference, why the floor is the way it is and why the same mosaic it's in the walls but also it's different than the Quranic recitations in the wall? The attention to details is just second to none.

Okay, concerning the tiles, the artisans, they can produce more than 360 different designs, different designs. Wow, if we take just this pillar, this side, when the artisans are doing this, it's done on the floor. Oh wow, upside down, upside down. When they are doing this, they are not looking at the designs. Oh, an excellent work, but they know, of course they always start with the central motif, the centerpiece, Then they carry on and they know which shape goes with which color, etc. When they finish the whole block they stick it to the wall. Wow.

The finished. The way that everything is done is just incredible.

And same idea, floral or geometric, there is no human or animal representation.

Yes.

Because it's forbidden by the Islamic religion. Okay, of course we have the Arabic calligraphy. Yes, I told you we have two kinds of scripts. Okay, the famous one is called the cursive Cursive, cursive script. It's both decorative and we can read the words. Yeah, I can see it, I can read those. Yeah, we have the second one. Which is very difficult to read now is what we call the Kufic script. Kufic, kufic script. Kufic comes from Kufa, the famous city in Iraq. I see Kufa, which was considered as the capital of sciences in the middle ages. Oh, wow. You know, that's just amazing and of course, the verses we have in the madrasa, all of them. If we take all of them, they talk about the unity of Allah, allah's command Unity. Okay, we have in the middle of the courtyard this water basin. Yes, so a long time ago it was used by the students to do their ritual ablutions, ablutions before the prayers, because before praying we have to wash some parts of our body, or what we call the purification of the body, before going inside the mosque. We have a little one here and we have the big mosque outside Outside. Okay, and something I didn't mention is the students. They start early in the morning, just after the first prayer, then they finish before the second prayer. Oh wow, then after noon they were free. No school on Fridays, Okay, which remains the holy day Now.

So just to explain a little bit to the audience. When you say the first prayer and the second prayer, normally the first prayer depending on the time of the year it changes. So we're talking sometimes maybe 5 am, sometimes 4 am, sometimes 6 am, and then when we're talking about the second prayer, that could be where at midday, it could be 12, 30 pm, 1 pm and so forth. So they'll study in between prayers, after performing the first prayer, which is early morning at dawn, and then they'll study throughout, but they'll be done by 12 or so pm. That's amazing, I did not know that, Wow.

When you are in Marrakech, it's a must to visit the Madrasa. Then, yusuf, I completely agree which is in the northern part of the Medina.

Okay, this is my first time and again I'm learning, as well as a lot of the audience. I've seen the pictures, I've seen videos, I've seen many things, but Madrasa has been Yusuf, just like a lot of other people. But then, just like I said earlier when we were in the other monuments, you really have to feel it the floor, the marble, the ceiling. You know it's not really a swimming pool, but it's a it looks like yes it's everything you know.

And, by the way, this is the only Madrasa in Morocco that we can visit the students' rooms. We have them downstairs. We have them upstairs. I see there is a lot of review from the rooms upstairs.

The second floor. I see a lot of people peeking and I see them taking pictures. So those are the student rooms. Yes, definitely incredible.

Don't miss also the restroom. Yes, oh for sure, it has been restored. There is a beautiful marble fountain that was again used at the time for the ritual washing Carrada marble, remember 16th century yes. The Saadians, the Saadians, yes, the. Saadians used a lot of sugar and there was a kind of trade between the Saadians and the Italians and the Italians Marble for sugar, sugar, yes, and the deal was weight by weight, oh wow. Kino for Kino.

Kino. Oh wow, I think so. Yes, we definitely gonna stop by and look at those. Take a lot of pictures and videos, hopefully. Enjoy your visit. Oh, absolutely, absolutely. Good afternoon, welcome back. This concludes our two days in Marrakech with this episode from Majorelle Gardens. Yusef, welcome back. What can you share with the audience about the amazing, amazing Majorelle Gardens?

So when we visit Marrakech we should stop at the famous Majorelle Gardens. Some people they like to call it Yves Saint Laurent Garden, but Majorelle Garden was created by the artist painter Jacques Majorelle, a French artist. He came to Marrakech in 1919. He fell in love with the city. Then he decided to stay in Marrakech. So he lived between 1919 and until 1960 and he created this exotic garden. He built his studio, which is painted in that blue color. We call it even now blue Majorelle." The studio now was turned into a museum of Berber art, then called Pierre Berger museum, one of the friends of Yves Saint Laurent. So we have more than 350 species of plants from our cactus from all over the world. So we call it the garden of the five continents. The weather helps in Marrakech the weather helps to have all these kinds of plants. So in 1960, Jacques Majorelle decided to leave Marrakech to go back to France. Then, in the 80s, Yves Saint Laurent, the model designer, decided to have it. We had his private garden. He built his villa, which is called Villa Oasis. Unfortunately it's not accessible. Sometimes they open the private garden to the visitors. But Yves Saint Laurent promised to keep the name Majorelle and because also he loved the city, just before his death he told his friend Pierre Berger to bury the ashes of his body in the garden and while walking you will see the memorial Yves Saint Laurent.

So that's where the ashes are. Yes, now the question that I have. Please, yusef, what's the story? If you could share his reasonings why he was in Marrakech and how that relationship developed and he fell in love with the city and he lived in the city.

So Yves Saint Laurent, first, when he came to Morocco, he went to Tangier. He lived for a while. Then he heard of Marrakech. He decided to come here. Then again he fell in love with the city. He was inspired by the colors, also the culture, and he said even that his success in the model design fashion that his success was due to live in Marrakech and, by the way, we have his. We call it Museum of Yves Saint Laurent because it's not him who created that museum, it's his friend, Pierre Berger, and the museum can be also visited. I mean the place is just massive, massive.

I know when he moved to Marrakech he was at that time Christian Dior, and then they had some challenges and issues and he came to Marrakech just to take a little break but then he fell in love with the city. It's a beautiful story. It's incredible. And then how this space, how it developed from almost 103 or four years ago, it's incredible. I know when I used to go to school, this was I don't think he was open. I mean, we knew what the garden was, but nobody had access to me. This is back and talking in early 90s.

So, what more thing. When Yves Saint Laurent passed away, the city decided to call the street Yves Saint Laurent Street. Oh, I did not know that, nice. So it's a. It's a beautiful place, it is. It's gorgeous, far from the hectic.

Yes, the hustle and bustle of Marrakech of the Medina.

It's nice to come and be in a very peaceful place. Yeah, definitely.

I mean just walking through it is very hard. Outside it's probably over over a hundred degrees Fahrenheit, but here it feels really cool. It feels, I would say, mid 70s which is really nice and a little bit of wind, but then the weather will change as we get closer to nightfall. For the lot of people that are visiting, for the tourists or locals, how much time do you think it would take for somebody to go through everything?

Through everything. It would be like 45 minutes, 45 minutes Up to one hour for the people who love to take pictures. There are so many spots to walk around. It's not a big garden, but it's nice to have time to enjoy it.

What's the best time to come to the garden?

Well, to avoid the crowd, because it's crowded all day, either early in the morning Okay, they open at 8.30 or 5.30 in the afternoon.

Okay, that's really good. The reason why I'm asking? Because photographers, videographers my opinion, if you want to take a lot of pictures, professional ones, good ones either come in when they open or right before they close because also the contrast of the sun, the light and everything. The balance has to be really perfect and sometimes, you know, during the day or midday it might be a little bit challenging. So my recommendations come in when they first open, or wait until the last they admit someone, maybe 5.30 or so, 5.30 is the last. Okay 5.30 you come in, the sun is a little bit cooler, there's a little bit of breeze and you can take your time taking pictures. Not many people.

Yes, I mean it's not as crowded. For sure, that's the only site which is outside the Medina, outside. Which means it's in the new parts. When we say new," it's the French Quarter built between 1912 and 1956. I see during the occupation.

Yeah, Okay, makes sense. Okay. This is gonna conclude the episode of Majorelle Gardens. Very grateful, again, we really appreciate you Youssef.

Thank you, thank you. Thank you, you're welcome.

Thank you to the listeners, and stay in touch, bye, bye.