It all happens in the Djemaa el-Fna,
one of the world's most extraordinary meeting places, and the living
heart of the city. By day it's a sleepy transit towards the souks. At
dusk the spectacle starts as locals and visitors gather to hear ancient
tales from storytellers, have their fortune told or get a recipe for a
magic potion from the herbalists.
Above: At night Djemaa el-Fna becomes an open-air restaurant,
theatre, circus and hospital.
"Without the Djemaa el-Fna Marrakech would just be a city like any
other." There is perhaps some truth in the words of the writer Paul
Bowles.
The open-air theatre and restaurant that is Djemaa el-Fna is so unique
that Unesco had to create a new category it's the first to he recognized
as "Immaterial Heritage of Mankind". Nobody is sure how it all started,
or where its name came from. But, sitting just at the entrance to the
medina, it seems always to have been the city's focal point, a place of
spectacle, trade, encounter and even execution heads rolled here until
well into the 19th century.
The square reverberates with the overwhelming sounds of snake charmers,
water carriers, dancers, singers, acrobats, and the enthusiastic
reactions of their audience. It disappears under the smoke from the many
food stalls that entice passers-by to eat freshly prepared snail soup,
sheep's brains, fried sole or grilled sausages.
TAKING A BREAK
The food here is freshly prepared and well worth trying. Juice stalls
set up early in the morning, al-Baraka and Argana are good places
for lunch, while the rooftop of the Café de France is recommended for
refreshments including mint tea, especially at sunset, when there are
great views over the medina and the High Atlas Mountains. Ý 182 C1
º Daily 8 am - 2 pm v1,3,5,7,8,9,10,11,15,23
Below: Snake charmers also charm tourists into giving money
The best view over the square is from the rooftop terrace of the Café de
France
Ancient Tales
The adventures of the Arab hero Antar, as told by a storyteller in the
Djemaa el-Fna, begin: "From the story of the black knight, the lion with
pennant and standards, with the flag and the horse, defender of the Boni
Abs Adnane, from Fizara and Dibane, intrepid knight with the reckless
heart, snake in the river bed, burning without fire, the one for whom
the bravest heroes bowed down, in full battle, courageous conqueror of
the grandest warrior, and of Noujeir the son of Giants, master of Mourad
and Zaid, Antara ibn Chaddad..."
DJEMAA EL-FNA: INSIDE INFO
Top tips Bring plenty of loose change for the street entertainers,
especially if you want to photograph the colourful performers. The snake
charmers in particular can be quite aggressive and ask for exorbitant
amounts if you take a picture, but how much you pay is up to you.
If you have any trouble with hustlers go to the tourist police on the
square.
Beware of pickpockets in the crowds, particularly after dark.
One to miss Definitely the dentists who pull out teeth in the square.
In more depth If you want to take some of the sounds home, head for the
cassette stalls on the edge of the square.
