Wrap yourself up for the greatest show on earth. Everywhere you look in Jemaa El Fna, Marrakech’s most important square (pronounced Jema the D is silent), you’ll find a theater in progress. The hubbub of the halqa (urban theater) has been going on here since the 11th century. Until a few decades ago, it hosted a daily food market for local traders. Today, the whine of snake traders’ punigi flutes is in full swing by mid-morning, and the show doesn’t really get going until dusk, when restaurants fire up their grills, prompting musicians to tune their instruments.
History of Jemaa El Fna
Jemaa El Fna came into being in 1890, around the time that the city of Marrakech was founded by the Almoravids. Historians and locals debate whether the square got its name because public executions were likely held there: one interpretation is "assembly of the dead." Another translation is "mosque of the dead," which may be a clue to the partial collapse of the nearby Koutoubia Mosque in the 18th century, burying the worshipers inside. For centuries, Jemaa El Fna was used as a monumental food market, with traders flocking down from the mountains to set up shop under canvas tents each day. Old photographs from this period can be seen at the Maison de la Photographie. The current boundaries of the square were dictated by the French, as all the buildings surrounding Jemaa were erected during the protectorate era. Unesco declared Jemaa El Fna a world heritage site in 2001 for reviving urban legends and oral history every night, and while the storytellers who once performed here have since given way to community games, musical artists and slapstick comedy acts, Jemaa’s nightly carnival continues to dazzle. Amazigh musicians play music and Gnawa troupes sing, while henna tattooists wave to passersby and water vendors in fringed hats clink copper cups together, hoping to entice people to drink. It’s a sight to behold, and it’s also a bargain: applause and a few dirhams ensure an encore. There’s a darker side to the square’s many eclectic exhibits, though; you are likely to see monkeys dressed up and led on chains for entertainment, and some of the practices of the local snake charmers are ethically questionable to say the least.
Cultural conflict in Jemaa El Fna?
Jemaa El Fna Square has been a protected urban landmark since 1922 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. However, UNESCO has declared the square to be a space "seriously threatened" by urbanization and cultural assimilation. For centuries, Jemaa has been a stage for Gnawa dance groups, whispering fortune tellers, cartwheeling acrobats, and, most importantly, the Hkaya (storytellers). Today, the last storytellers are gone, and with them many of the square's traditional performers. Jemaa is still the beating heart of Marrakech's medina, but like its inhabitants, it has evolved with the times. Live music and local food are its 21st-century hallmarks.
Visit Jemaa El Fna in the morning
Stroll through Jemaa El Fna as it awakens to catch the square in its less frenetic state. By this time, the stage is almost empty. Orange juice vendors are first on the scene, along with snake charmers and their baskets of cobras. Dentists, potion sellers and henna tattooists begin setting up makeshift stalls under umbrellas.
Visit Jemaa El Fna at night
After 2pm, cars are banned from the square and local food stalls begin to set up for the evening melee around 4pm. At sunset, Jemaa returns to its everyday atmosphere as Amazigh (Berber) troupes and Gnawa musicians begin to tune up and locals rush into the square. The hubbub doesn't stop for the night until around 1am. To admire it from another angle, visit the café terraces that surround the square.
Eating at Jemaa El Fna
Spicy snail broth, skewers of hearts, bubbling tagines, fried fish: the food stalls of the Jemaa are a veritable concentration of Moroccan culinary specialties, not to be missed. Despite the dire warnings, your stomach should be fine. Wash your hands before eating, use bread instead of utensils. The stalls have numbered slots and are set up on a grid. The snail chefs line up along the east side. For fried fish and calamari, take a seat at stall 14. Look for a charming woman named Aicha who runs stall 1 in the southwest corner for kebabs, tagines, and harira (a cheap, hearty soup made of tomatoes, onions, saffron, and coriander with lentils and chickpeas). After dinner, join the locals at the row of copper teapots on the southern edge of the stalls. The specialty here is the hot ginger tea called khoudenjal with cinnamon, mace and cardamom, served with a dense, sticky and equally spicy cake ball. A stop at No 71 Chez Mohammed's is the perfect way to end your meal.
Tips for exploring Jemaa El Fna
- When walking around Jemaa at any time of day, be aware of the traffic of cars, motorcycles and horse-drawn carriages, which crisscross the perimeter of the square (cars are prohibited after 2 p.m.).
- Be on guard for pickpockets and dishonest thieves who are known to work the crowd, especially after sunset.
- To get prime spots on makeshift stools around the circles of musicians (women and the elderly have priority), arrive early in the evening.
- Keep a small supply of 1 Dh coins on hand to tip the performers. A few dirhams (a little more if you've taken photos) are all that's needed when the hat or tray arrives.
- Be aware that you will see chained monkeys dressed in sports jerseys parading for tourists, and that the practices of snake charmers are ethically questionable. We advise you to avoid both.
Where to stay near Jemaa El Fna?
The largest concentration of budget hotels in Marrakech is in this area, most of them within walking distance of Jemaa El Fna, along Rue Sidi Bouloukat and Rue de la Recette (a few meters from the airport bus and taxi drop-off points). The high-end riads are located inside the medina towards Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid, to the southeast.
Where to eat near Jemaa El Fna?
Craving snail broth? Want to try mechoui (roast lamb) or tanjia, Marrakech’s famous “stew”? Jemaa El Fna and the area directly surrounding it are the best places for adventurous foodies. South of the main square are more upscale options. For serious nibbling, follow your nose to Hadj Mustapha, a low-key canteen that makes some of the best tanjia in town. The front terraces of the old cafes that line Jemaa El Fna are the best places in town to watch the action. There are a few places that serve alcohol in this area if you know where to look. If you feel your energy flagging, head to the Grand Balcon terrace of Café Glacier for a mint tea.
How to get to Jemaa El Fna?
Jemaa El Fna is located on the edge of Marrakech's medina, the old walled part of the city. It's a 15-minute walk from Bab Doukkala or bus Line 1 to the northwest or 10 minutes from Place des Ferblantiers to the south. From the center of Gueliz, take bus 1 or 16.
