DIA News 02.2019

Marrakesh – Ancient architecture and exciting contrasts in a vibrant city

A city of ochre rising from the desert against the magnificent backdrop of the Atlas Mountains. Behind its twelve-kilometer-long walls, this city of kings offers fascinating contrasts, vibrant life and an old town with historically significant architecture that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While attending a workshop in Marrakesh, our colleague embarked on a journey of discovery – and here you can find a summary.

Medina of Marrakesh

A maze of winding, narrow alleyways, hidden plazas with picturesque markets and cheerful people – the Medina of Marrakesh certainly entices visitors to let go, sink in and enjoy the pulse of the city. Our insider tip: Knock on the doors in the small alleyways; it’s well worth the wait. Because hidden behind those mighty red walls are fascinating, incredibly colorful cafeterias and bars that have been planned painstakingly down to the tiniest detail. And by all means try out the sweet peppermint tea.

Hustle and bustle in the souks

Take colorful spice mixtures, tacky Aladdin slippers, small leather pouches, garish oriental rugs, viscous olive pastes and tons of handmade tajine pots and combine this feast for the eyes with the ambient noises of rhythmic pounding on copper lampshades and vociferous negotiations. Finally, add welding sparks and dancing metal figurines – voilà, welcome to the Moroccan souk! This unique atmosphere simply has to be experienced first-hand.

Marrakesch Inspiration

Exciting worlds of tone-on-tone color

For Europeans, the impression we get is as if someone grabbed the whole city and dunked it right into a bucket of terracotta paint. The whole architecture is based on clay, bricks and sandstone. What introduces some variety into this tone-on-tone world is, on the one hand, the use of material combinations with different surfaces and structures. And the overall picture is also made brighter by colorful highlights in the form of tiles, ornaments, rugs and textiles. Speaking of highlights, this one is absolutely a must-see…

Marrakesch Inspiration

…Ornaments from the Orient

Even after three days, we still can’t get enough of these lovingly designed, lively ornaments! You find them in all sorts of contexts – on house façades, as elaborate gold embroidery in towels, in wall tiles, and so on…

Living in a riad

Walking into the traditional Moroccan riads, the stately homes of the elite, makes you feel as if you just stepped foot in paradise. One interesting thing here is that what you see on a large scale across the city is also reflected in the interior of the riads: winding corridors to the rooms, impressive inner courtyards with pool areas and breathtaking vistas over the roofs of Marrakesh from the rooftop bars.

Tropical garden – Jardin Majorelle

Despite the lines of tourists, an unmissable sight: Imagine the tropics in the middle of the Moroccan desert. Marrakesh straight out of a picture book, with evocative color combinations, cactus-filled landscapes and a bamboo forest.

Marrakesch Inspiration

Majestic – Palais el Badi

The spectacular wall fragments of the El-Badi Palace give us some idea about what life must have been like for the mighty sultans of yore. Surrounded by the »red« city wall and with a panoramic view – from the roof terrace – all the way to the snow-covered peaks of the Atlas Mountains, this building complex simply left us breathless. By the way, the surrounding city walls are inhabited by storks, which spend the winter in North Africa.

Marrakesch Inspiration

Inspiration in the Yves Saint Laurent Museum

It’s quite a sight to behold, even from the outside: Depending on the time of day, the façade, made of brick and granite, is illuminated in pink and red, a color combination that is reminiscent of the granite mountains of the Ourika Valley. The building complex incorporates a thrilling contrast between sharp edges and soft, curved free-form shapes; in fact, its whole design is inspired by the fashion of Yves Saint Laurent.

Marrakesch Inspiration

A day in the desert

The absolute highlight of the trip: Glamping in the middle of the Sahara desert! A desert camp that is barely an hour away from the city center. Means of transportation: Camel. Overnight accommodation options: Tent. Highlight: Sunrise. We loved it!

Marrakesch Inspiration