The colors of the ‘Red City’, Marrakech

At first glance, you can not miss noticing how all buildings have a red clay color. The old Medina is like a labyrinth. As soon as you embark on your walk into some of the smaller side streets it is easy to take a wrong turn or walk down a wrong alley. It seems to be a charm of the city. In some of the streets, the street width is only one meter. Marrakech has around 50 different Souk - local markets - each of the Souk is a street focusing on different types of goods. For example in one I am walking through they only sell shoes and sandals, while in another it is meat, and another only sells carpets. Not all are so specific but it makes it easier to navigate to the Souk that has the products you feel for buying. Before I left for Marrakech I was warned that some sellers could be a bit aggressive due to their selling culture. However, it might be the high temperature during these days where we are between 35-40 degrees Celcius, or that this period of the year is out of season is the reason why I do not see this aggressiveness in Marrakech can I not say. Instead, I experienced being in a historical trading city in the middle of the desert, which was created due to trading. 

Upon arrival to Marrakech, an hour delayed Saturday night all streets are full of people. Even though it is 2 am local time, the traffic feels like driving in the middle of the day and not the middle of the night. People are sitting at the side of the road and in small parks we pass by to enjoy a bit of the fresh night temperature - the temperature is still around 33 degrees Celcius. While driving into the Medina I am sure that the next ten days will give me a lot of experiences since I’m arriving in a cultural, historic, and traditional city. Even though I only have two days in Marrakech I can easily say that I am not disappointed. 

At the main square Jamaa el-Fnaa restaurants, markets, and people with monkeys, snakes, and turtles are seen all ready to give you a show. By walking around Marrakech I find similarities to Aman in Jordan in some parts of the streets and the city while other parts remind me of Sevilla in Spain. In particular, the Mosque Tower ‘Koutoubia’ close to the main square Jemaa el-Fnaa gives me references to Sevilla. A reference that is by no surprise since the Mosque tower Giralda in Sevilla was built using Koutoubia as a reference. The tower Giralda in Sevilla is the tallest of the two, with a height of 101 meters while Koutoubia in Marrakech is 77 meters tall. The similarity and reference in Andalusia in the southern part of Spain and the Southern part of Portugal is due to the Almoravid Dynasty. Cultures travel across borders and influence our understanding and view of it today. 

Marrakech is known by different names including “The Red City” or “The Palm City”. If I should give it a name I would call it "the city of light". Because even though the sun is cooking on your skin and the houses around you, the light and details in the mosaics are what catch my attention. The style is classic and with a very graphic touch. In Jardin Majorelle the light makes palmes, cactuses and the blue house in the middle “Villa Oasis” with its blue colours shines, while the green deep color together with the deep blue color from the skies surround it. The park is full of tourists - all trying to capture the colors and light. However, if you compose your pictures tight it is possible to capture and enjoy the details in this garden. Right next to Jardin Majorelle is the Museum of Yves Saint Laurent which is an authentic pearl with its red stones and sharp rounded forms, that stands as a symbol for Yves Saint Laurent who today is by many known by the “YSL” fashion brand. Yves Saint Laurent visited Marrakech for the first time in 1966. The history tells us that before he left Marrakech he already signed a contract for a house with him. Later he together with his friend Pierre Bergé brought Jardin Majorelle in 1980 to save it from becoming part of a construction to which it could have been lost. 

Today Yves Saint Laurent only has two museums: one in Marrakech and one in Paris. In some of YSL’s collections, it is clear that he found inspiration in Marrakech and Morocco. You might already have noticed how he in some of his dresses use flowers or embroidered flowers. In a short documentary shown in a small auditorium at the museum, Laurent tells how Marrakech gave him colours to his collections: an inspiration of colours that is easy to see and understand while visiting Marrakech. You notice the colors in the red streets, the small workshops, where techniques with polish knives, scissors, and making sandals are the same as hundreds of years ago. This gives a feeling that the time is standing still even though the business of noise and people moving around you are present. 

In the Riat, on the streets, and in restaurants I hear and see a lot of France and Spanish people which is not too surprising considering the history. With only a four hours flight south of Denmark it is clear that Morocco is culturally different from Europe which is easily shown in the food, religion, and culture. However, it still has its European touch due to history. To gain its independence 2nd of March 1956 Morocco needed to sign an agreement with France that made them use and learn the France language for 100 years. Therefore, all speak France. This agreement seems similar to the language constellation the UK made with Hong Kong and the English language until 1997. 

How multicultural Morocco easily heard in the France language even though it is only small four hours flight south of Denmark. It gives a feeling of closeness as it is experienced with Turkey and Istanbul - where one side of the city is in Europe while the other is in Asia. Morocco has this feeling of closeness to Europe with a completely different culture. A  geographical closeness that showcases how small our point of reference can be inside Europe. 

Art and culture come in different shapes, experiences, and places. Are you looking for inspiration Marrakech - as seen by Yves Saint Laurent - can be a place to go for inspiration. The city gives you the opportunity to explore and enjoy the forms and symmetry of the different mosaic pieces you can find from the tails in your Riat to Mosques, museums, and restaurants. The handcraft and graphic work are impressive which I experienced when I entered Bahia Place and Ben Youssef. Colors come together in shapes with a superiority of precision which talks to an understanding of handcraft, beauty, and splendour which can be hard to find in modern buildings today. When entering a building in Marrakech you often get surprised by how big the house, palace, or building is which might fit well into the culture of Islam where people to show their respect when entering a house bend over while walking in. Additionally, while walking in the red streets of Marrakech there is no glamour or other hints of wealth in the streets or on the houses. The only thing you see in the Medina is big wooden doors with two handles. One handle is placed low, while the other is placed high. One is for women while the other is for men. The sound of the two handles is different which meant that when guests nocked on the handle those who lived there knew if it should be a woman or a man who should open the door depending on the gender of the visitor. Behind each of these doors can wealth and beauty easily be found, even though it is not easy to see from the outside. A fact that is easy to experience by entering Riats or Dars in Marrakech. 

Marrakech and Marocco have a lot of culture, art, and beauty to discover all surrounded by the Red Color.