Garden of Menara
The Menara Garden is a vast park located next to the Hivernage district, southwest of Marrakech and practically at the foot of the imposing Atlas Mountains. From the medina, exit through the Bab el Jedid gate and take the Avenue de la Menara, the park is less than an hour’s walk away. Of course, you can also take a cab or, more pleasantly, a carriage.
This peaceful garden is ideal for an evening stroll after a busy day in the city, and its main charm lies in the central area, around a huge artificial pool, next to which is a harmonious construction, the Menara Pavilion.
The large basin, which measures 200 by 150 meters, was created at the time of the Almohads, in the 12th century, who designed a whole system of underground canals to bring the meltwater from the Atlas Mountains to irrigate the surrounding olive groves and orchards. The system is still in use today, after almost 9 centuries, although the pond must be emptied from time to time for maintenance. The pond is populated by countless carp waiting to be fed by tourists.
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The elegant pavilion or minzah (meaning beautiful view), one of Marrakech’s most photographed monuments, is not so old; although the Saadids are thought to have built a first pavilion in the 16th century, the present one, with its pyramidal roof covered with green tiles, dates from 1870.
The charm of the Menara gardens varies with the seasons; in winter and spring, the snow-capped peaks of the Atlas Mountains seem even closer, while from October to January you can witness the harvest of green, pink and black olives. In summer, when the city is a furnace, the Menara offers a cool and peaceful place to relax or have a picnic.
Legend has it that these gardens were used by the sultans for their love affairs. It is also said that one of them, after spending the night with his occasional conquest, used to throw her into the pond at sunrise…
Massira 2 c -N 38-، Marrakesh 40000, Morocco
