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HOME ACCOMMODATION & ROOMS TARIFFS & RESERVATIONS FOOD PRESS COMMENTS LOCATION Marrakech A city of irrigated gardens and sun-baked walls the colour of terracotta, the Medina of Marrakech was founded nearly a thousand years ago as an oasis in the arid Haouz plain. The city today is an exotic blend of Arab, Berber and sub-Saharan influences.
THE KASBAH 'The Kasbah is a very safe, friendly area … much more open and less congested than the areas surrounding the main square of Marrakech.' A Place in the Sun, November 2005 Maison Mnabha is situated in the heart of the Kasbah in the south west of the traditional walled city. The Kasbah is an open, welcoming area of Marrakech. We are located in Derb Mnabha, a side street off the 'Rue de la Kasbah', which is the main street of the Kasbah.
The Rue de la Kasbah has been the main thoroughfare of the Kasbah since the twelfth century.
The late nineteenth century print on the left shows a view that is still recognizable in the Rue de la Kasbah. Maison Mnabha is tucked away in a courtyard at the end of a quiet lane with no through traffic. However cars and taxis can have direct access to Maison Mnabha, unlike many hotels in other parts of the old city. As the Kasbah was built as an Imperial citadel and has been occupied by the Sultans of Morocco since the twelfth century, palaces and monuments erected by successive ruling dynasties are within a short walking distance of Maison Mnabha.
The radiant Bab Agnaou, the twelfth century Imperial entrance to the Kasbah, is not only the most beautiful and impressive city gate in Marrakech but also represents one of the highest achievements of Islamic art.
From the roof terraces of Maison Mnabha the view to the south is of the Agdal Gardens and the High Atlas Mountains, particularly in winter and spring. To the east the view is dominated by the gardens and pavilions of the Royal Palace (begun by the present King's ancestors in the seventeenth century). To the north the minaret of the Kasbah Mosque is aligned with the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque. To the north east there is a glimpse from the roof terraces of the evocative ruins of the sixteenth century Badi Palace. The Badi Palace can be reached by a short walk through the Kasbah's atmospheric back streets. The route from
Maison Mnabha to the Badi Palace is intersected with vestiges of the Palace buildings that originally extended over a large area that is now housing. (left hand photo) The Badi Palace can be entered through the Square of the Tinsmiths (Place des Ferblantiers - middle photo) - formerly a Jewish souk as it was next to the Jewish quarter. The square is still largely given over to small workshops in which tin and brass lanterns are made by craftsmen. The walls of the Badi Palace are favoured by storks who build their nests on them. (right hand photo)
The twelfth century Kasbah Mosque (known locally as the Moulay Yazid Mosque) is of outstanding architectural interest. Attached to the Mosque, the Saadian Tombs are a highlight for visitors to Marrakech
One of the great attractions of Marrakech is the vitality of its street life and generally the city is best appreciated on foot. It is a straightforward walk from Maison Mnabha along the Rue de la Kasbah to the Bab Agnaou and then to the Jemaa El-Fnaa (the main square) and Souks or to the Koutoubia Mosque.
The environs of Marrakech The High Atlas mountain range, which lies between Marrakech and the Sahara, is approximately 37 miles south of the Kasbah. It takes less than two hours by road to reach the base of the Djebel Toubkal, at over 13000 feet the highest mountain in North Africa. The mountain road that starts from the Kasbah of Marrakech finishes at the village of Setti Fatma in the Ourika, a valley cut deep into the High Atlas. Marrakech is just over a hundred miles inland from the Atlantic coast: it generally takes little more than two hours by road to reach the fishing port of Essaouira.
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