Menara Gardens

File / Documentation

Name

176265_sv.jpg

Size

4.97 MB

Format

JPEG

Checksum (MD5)

184bfc1a30b18d20197f7f21bd49e1ff

Creator(s)

patron: Moulay Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Rahman (reg. 1859-1873), patron: Caliph 'Abd al-Mu'min (Berber, 1130-1163)

Time period

creation date: construction of garden, 1147-1163, other date: rebuilding of pavillion, 1869-1869, creation date: building of road to site from Marrakech, 1126-1147

Location

Site: Marakesh (Marrakech, Province de, Morocco)

Cultural context

Moroccan

Berber

Description

The Menara Gardens in Marrakech date back to the Almohad Dynasty that ruled Morocco most of North Africa and Spain from around 1130 to the beginning of the 13th century. The Marinid and Sa'di Dynasties both left their mark on the garden. The garden is composed largely of olive, cypress and fruit trees. It is watered by Sahrij al-Menara, a large reservoir that collects water from the surrounding mountains via channels build by the Almoravid Caliph 'Ali bin Yusuf (reg. 1107-1142).

At the edge of the reservoir sits the two-story Maa'lamat al-Menara, literally the Menara Landmark but known in English as the Menara Pavilion. It and the reservoir are among the most photographed attractions in Morocco. A pavilion was originally built by the Sa'di rulers, but the current structure was built by Moulay Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Rahman (reg. 1859-1873) in 1869.

general view, gardens and pavilion seen looking southeast across the pool, 1993

Work type

Garden

Pavilion (garden structure)

Reservoir

Medium

brick

earth

tile

Keywords

Gardens

Orchards