© Penelope Gan – All Rights Reserved – Djamaa el Fna, Marrakesh, MOROCCO

Marrakesh – famed for Djamaa el Fna, its vibrant main square dubbed the most exhilarating meeting place in the world, Marrakesh which is situated in southwest Morocco also features the landmark symbol in its walled old city (medina): the 800 year old minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque.

The minaret, capped with three golden orbs, not only dominates the Marrakesh skyline but also enhances the mosque’s reputation as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. It was completed during the rule of Almohad Caliph Yacoub el-Mansour (1184-199) and stands nearly 230ft (77m) high and almost 40 ft (13m) wide.

The city’s character is, however, defined by Djamaa el Fna in the city’s medina square. By the day it is the scene of locals and tourists haggling for bargains with market traders and watching snake charmers.

The souk (or marketplace) bordering the square is the largest in North Africa; its alleyways are crammed with stalls selling carpets, kaftans, embroidered slippers, leather ware, lamps and other Moroccan craft items.

By night the main square is transformed into a mesmerizing  theateric scene of street entertainment of every kind: fire-eating, juggling, singing, acrobatics, story-telling, dancing, magic, drumming, fortune telling and stalls selling traditional medicines or Moroccan dishes of sheep’s brains and eyes, and goats’ testicles sizzling on the pan with smells wafting up to the Moroccan clear cloudless sky.

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