The medina had 80 fountains at the start of the 20th century; each neighbourhood had its own, providing water for cooking, public baths, orchards and gardens. The Mouassine Fountain, near Rue El Mouassine, is a prime example, with carved wood details and continued use as a neighbourhood wool-drying area and gossip source.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.1 MILES
French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé bought Jardin Majorelle in 1980 to preserve the vision of its original owner,…
0.28 MILES
Roll up, roll up for the greatest show on earth. Everywhere you look in Djemaa El Fna, Marrakesh’s main square (pronounced "jema" – the "d" is silent),…
1.2 MILES
This captivating museum, opened in 2017, showcases finely selected collections of haute couture clothing and accessories that span 40 years of creative…
0.69 MILES
La Bahia (The Beautiful) is an 8000-sq-metre, floor-to-ceiling extravagance of intricate marquetry, plasterwork and zouak (painted wood), and certainly…
0.48 MILES
Five times a day, one voice rises above the din of Djemaa El Fna as the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer from the Koutoubia Mosque. The mosque's…
0.87 MILES
Saadian Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour Ed Dahbi was just as extravagant in death as he was in life. After the "golden king" built Badia Palace in the 16th…
0.82 MILES
As 16th-century Sultan Ahmed Al Mansour (r 1578-1603) was paving the Badia Palace with gold, turquoise and crystal, his court jester wisecracked, ‘It’ll…
0.06 MILES
The foundations of this historic riad are more than 400 years old, and it was once owned by powerful qaid (local chief) U-Bihi. Here, though, it's not the…
Nearby attractions
0.04 MILES
While house-hunting in the medina, Parisian Patrick Menac'h stumbled across a historic treasure of great cultural significance. Beneath the layers of…
0.06 MILES
The dyers souq is one of Marrakesh's most colourful markets, with skeins of coloured wool draped from the rafters above stalls. However, very little…
0.06 MILES
The foundations of this historic riad are more than 400 years old, and it was once owned by powerful qaid (local chief) U-Bihi. Here, though, it's not the…
0.12 MILES
This well-preserved funduq (inn once used by caravans) would have once been the staging post for medieval merchants selling sugar and tea, but today the…
0.12 MILES
Some of Marrakesh's fanadiq (inns once used by travelling caravans) are named after the activities that once took place within, as is the case with this…
0.13 MILES
On the north side of Rahba Kedima, look for the archway with 'Le Souk Principal de Tapis' written above the door. Inside it's packed to the rafters with…
0.14 MILES
The French name, Place des Épices, for this hopping little plaza derives from its high concentration of apothecaries who sell mysterious supplies to…
0.16 MILES
Spread over three floors, Marrakesh's Museum of Women was launched in 2018 by a passionate bunch of locals intent on championing women's important role in…