Visit Morocco. See Djemaa el-Fna.

Djemaa el-Fna, Marrakesh, MOROCCO

Marrakesh is the third largest city in Morocco after Casablanca and the capital city Rabat. The Djemaa el-Fna Square is one of the main cultural spaces in Marrakesh and has become one of the symbols of the city since its foundation in the eleventh century. It represents a unique concentration of popular Moroccan cultural traditions performed through musical, religious and artistic expressions.

Located at the entrance of the Medina, this triangular square, which is surrounded by restaurants, stands and public buildings, provides everyday commercial activities and various forms of entertainment. It is a meeting point for both the local population and people from elsewhere. All through the day, and well into the night, a variety of services are offered, such as dental care, traditional medicine, fortune-telling, preaching, and henna tattooing; water-carrying, fruit and traditional food may be bought. In addition, one can enjoy many performances by storytellers, poets, snake-charmers, Berber musicians (mazighen), Gnaoua dancers and senthir (hajouj) players. The oral expressions would be continually renewed by bards (imayazen), who used to travel through Berber territories. They continue to combine speech and gesture to teach, entertain and charm the audience. Adapting their art to contemporary contexts, they now improvise on an outline of an ancient text, making their recital accessible to a wider audience. 

Whatever Djemaa el-Fna was may have been lost in the mists of time, but what it has become is clear: an arena in which to pass on the cultural legacy of the region in the form of music, theater, dancing, food and all kinds of breathtakingly strange and unusual performances. Depending on the time of day it can be hypnotic or awe-inspiring, or sometimes even banal; it's not every minute of every day that the best performers turn up. To get the most out of the square you'll need to turn up several times, in the morning, afternoon, evening and night. Sunset is a popular time when the square changes into an open air restaurant filled with smoking food wagons.

In its highlight of 26 of the most stunning spots in Africa, CNN Travel described Djemaa el-Fna as the world’s most exciting town square and called the market the world's most mesmerizing market.

Don't forget that everyone performing in Djemaa el-Fna is an actor, singer, dancer or some kind of performance artists who doesn't work for free. If you decide to watch their show or take pictures, expect to hand over some cash - around 10 Dirhams should be enough. Everybody pays - they aren't just milking tourists (although they probably will if you let them). Typically someone will walk around with a hat or bag and you drop your money in - payment is often expected per person and per activity (watching and taking photos are separate activities).

As a major place of cultural exchange which has enjoyed protection as part of Morocco’s artistic heritage since 1922, the Djemaa el-Fna Square is one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.


Photo Credits: UNESCO, Google, Iain Mallory
Sources: CNN, UNESCO, Wikipedia