Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
beautiful, tiled courtyard linking a
1,200-seat open-air theatre and
an 800-seat opera house. Since
its inauguration in September
2001, the theatre has only been
used sporadically but an
exhibition hall housed here
displays the work of local artists
and sculptors. d Map B5 • Ave
Hassan II • 0524 43 15 16 • Open
8:30am-7pm daily
Hippyville
Before the medina's hotel boom,
those who couldn't afford the
Mamounia, or considered it too
establishment, stayed in Guéliz.
The Es Saadi in Hivernage was
popular with the Rolling Stones,
while Beat writer William
Burroughs shacked up at Hotel
Toulousain (see p112) . The big
hippy hang out at the time was
the Renaissance.
& European cemetery
% Majorelle Gardens
North of Boulevard
Mohammed Zerktouni is a walled
graveyard dating back to the
1920s. It is the burial
ground of many of the
original inhabitants of
Guéliz. A white
obelisk is dedicated
to the North African
soldiers who died
fighting to free France
during World War II - a
little known historical
episode that was
brought to the world's
attention in the award-
winning film Days of
Glory . d Map C4 • Rue
Erraouda • Open Apr-Sep
7am-7pm; Oct-Mar 8am-6pm
A ten-minute walk east of
Place Abdel Moumen Ben Ali,
these are the absolute
must-see sight in the
New City. Created in
the 1920s and 1930s
by French painter
Jacques Majorelle, the
artist's former studio
now houses an
Islamic Art Museum.
The gardens were
owned by French
couturier Yves Saint-
Laurent until his death
and are open to the
public (see pp26-7) .
^ Théâtre Royal
Modernist Guéliz architecture
This striking piece of
architecture by leading local light,
Charles Boccara, is crowned by a
grand dome. The interior has a
* Spanish Quarter
Running west off Rue de
Yougoslavie is a narrow street
lined with single-
storey houses of a
unique design, much
like terraced cottages.
This single lane,
planted with mulberry
trees, constitutes the
city's old Spanish
quarter, a testament
to Marrakech's once
considerable Hispanic
population. This is
possibly the only
street in the whole of
Marrakech in which
Jnane El Harti
76
For more art and culture venues in Marrakech, see pp44-5.
 
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