Discover the palaces of Marrakech (architecture, decoration, art of living)
9 January 2023
Marrakech is a city with an unparalleled creative effervescence. From the hustle and bustle of Jemaa El Fna Square and its bubbling souks, to its winding and busy streets, Marrakech is a bustling city of contrast. It dazzles you with colors, where the ochre of its medina is sublimated by the infinite colors of objects sold and displayed in its streets. It delights you with scents, where the spices and aromas of sellers and restaurants take you in their path. And finally you marvel at his creativity. Woodworking, tannery, leather goods, music and cooking, the sources of inspiration are inexhaustible. At the heart of this broth of life, hidden behind large imposing doors, the palaces of Marrakech offer you a haven of peace where this same creativity transports you in a cocoon of softness and sophistication.
The Bahia Palace
Le palais Bahia est un héritage immobilier d’une époque emblématique de la ville. Vers la fin du 19e siècle, la cité impériale était un carrefour culturel qui rayonnait de l’Afrique du nord au sud de l’Espagne. Ce palais présente ainsi une architecture andalouse-marocaine construite sur pas moins de 8000 mètres carrés avec un objectif simple : construire le plus beau palais de la ville. Le grand vizir Si Moussa en a ordonné la construction à la fin du 19e siècle et lui a donné son nom « Bahia », qui signifie littéralement « la belle, la brillante ». Ce palais est une gemme esthétique avec ses couleurs vibrantes et ses mosaïques époustouflantes. Il abrite entre autres de verdoyants jardins, une mosquée, des bassins d’eau un riad et de nombreuses chambres décorées délicatement. Un détour obligatoire pour vous imprégner de l’atmosphère luxueuse des palais marocains.
El-Badi Palace
Older still, the El-Badi palace still impresses even today in the state of ruin. It was built at the end of the 16th century by the Saadian Sultan Ahmed al-Mansur ad Dhahbî to celebrate the unlikely victory at the Battle of the Three Kings. This battle ended improbably, because the three chiefs of the armies died there. The gargantuan booty of this battle made it possible to build this marvel. Italian marble, Sudanese gold dust, Indian porphyry, Chinese jades and other unique materials from France, and Spain were used to manifest the sovereign’s newly restored power. Today you can visit the remains that give an idea of its past greatness. Or go there for the annual Moroccan folklore festival or the famous Marrakech of laughter.
Dar M'Nebhi Palace
Not to be confused with the M’Nebhi palace of Fez. Better known as the Marrakech Museum, it is the first real estate vestige on the list to belong to Moorish architecture. It is historically a house built at the end of the nineteenth century. A decor that makes you want to live in Marrakech and renew the art of living of yesteryear. Rehabilitated in museum since, it houses events and exhibitions of contemporary art to give pride of place to the Moroccan and Berber culture of today. The hammam, which can still be visited, has a sublime architecture with its zellij-clad rooms and domes decorated with plaster sculptures. Make a journey between two epochs between the heritage of this place and the works of our time.
The Dar Si Said
Another old house turned into a museum, the green, quiet and splendid palace «Dar Si Said» is a marvel of decoration. Museum dedicated to crafts, you can go there to discover woodwork, jewelry, pottery, ceramics and carpets of regional artisans. At the detours of the exhibits, the interior of this beauty case will surprise you with its magnificent interior architecture. Meticulous mosaics, refined fountains, sporadic vegetation, decorated columns and natural luminosity make it a place of dreams without equal. The palace was set up by the Institute of Fine Arts, and it shows. Located between the Jemaa el Fna square and the Bahia Palace, it is a place to stroll in peace to put, for a moment, the tumult of the medina between brackets.
The Moroccan art of living
With a multicultural and ancient heritage, Morocco is a country full of creativity and culture. Present in everyday gestures, the art of hospitality, festivals and rituals that are lived day by day. Stroll through the streets and palaces to discover and feel the richness of this art of living. Moroccan palaces are an artifact of the art of receiving and the sense of beautiful and ceremonial. Discover the dishes, the famous mint teas and the sumptuous decorations full of colors. Oscillate between the calm of the interiors and the incessant movement of the exterior between which an indescribable something unique in Morocco is created. Take advantage of the events to discover local festivities, such as the annual folklore festival at the El-Badi Palace. Colorful and typical, it is a unique opportunity to understand the richness of the country, its customs and its inhabitants.
Live in Marrakech
The palaces are only a glimpse of the beauty of the city’s buildings. Many gardens, such as those of the Ménara or Majorelle; the palm grove, the waterfalls of Ouzoud, the medina and its souks; the artisans scattered throughout the city and so many other riches are to be discovered there so much this city is renewed. If the life of this city attracts you and captivates you, make it your nest. Real estate in Marrakech offers many options to create your own palace. You will then be able to immerse yourself in the continuous torrents of its tumult, discover its culture every day and serve your own tea. Enjoy attractive living conditions and a world-class atmosphere. You will surely fall in love with the warmth of this city, which is felt in the human warmth of Moroccan hospitality as much as in its mild climate throughout the year.