Editing Marrakesh (section)

{{short description|City in Marrakesh–Safi, Morocco}}
{{other uses|Marrakesh  (disambiguation)}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Marrakesh
| native_name        = {{lang|ar|مراكش}}
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in Morocco|Prefecture-level city]]
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
|perrow = 1/2/2/1
|border = infobox
|total_width = 300
|image1 = Pavillon Menaragärten.jpg
|caption1 = [[Menara Gardens]] and the [[Atlas Mountains]]
|image2 = MoroccoMarrakech KoutoubiaMosqueTop.jpg
|caption2 = [[Kutubiyya Mosque]]
|image3 = Blue villa in Majorelle garden (2845770484).jpg
|caption3 = [[Majorelle Garden]]
|image4 = Bab Agnaou.jpg
|caption4 = [[Bab Agnaou]]
|image5 = Badi Palace DSCF6501.jpg
|caption5 = [[El Badi Palace]]
|image6 = Djemaa el Fna.jpg
|caption6 = [[Jemaa el-Fnaa]]
}}
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| map_caption        = Map of Marrakesh
| pushpin_map        = Morocco#Africa
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Marrakesh within Morocco
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Morocco]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Regions of Morocco|Region]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Marrakesh-Safi]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[Provinces of Morocco|Prefecture]]
| subdivision_name2  = Marrakesh
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = [[Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri]]
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1070
| founder            = [[Abu Bakr ibn Umar]]
| area_total_km2     = 
| population_as_of   = 2014
| population_total   = 928850
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web|title=Morocco Population Census - Marrakesh (مراكش)|url=http://rgph-2014.hcp.ma/attachment/562303/ |date=19 March 2015 |publisher=[[Haut Commissariat au Plan|High Commission for Planning]]|page=7|access-date=12 August 2017}}</ref>
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_rank    = [[List of cities in Morocco|4th in Morocco]]{{refn|The [[Haut Commissariat au Plan|High Commission for Planning]] defines the city of Marrakesh as comprising the municipality of Méchouar-Kasba and the five ''[[Administrative divisions of Morocco|arrondissements]]'' of Annakhil, Gueliz, Marrakech-Médina, Ménara and Sidi Youssef Ben Ali.<ref name=citydefn>{{cite web |url=http://rgph2014.hcp.ma/file/165548/ |title=Note de présentation des premiers résultats du Recensement Général de la Population et de l'Habitat 2014 |language=fr |publisher=[[Haut Commissariat au Plan|High Commission for Planning]] |page=8 |date=20 March 2015 |access-date=9 October 2017 |archive-date=7 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107134710/http://www.rgph2014.hcp.ma/file/165548/ |url-status=live }}</ref>|group=lower-alpha}}
| population_demonym = Marrakshi
| timezone           = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset         = +1
| coordinates        = {{coord|31|37|48|N|8|0|32|W|region:MA|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 466
| elevation_ft       = 
| elevation_max_m    = 
| elevation_max_ft   = 
| elevation_min_m    = 
| elevation_min_ft   = 
| website            = {{URL|https://www.ville-marrakech.ma/|ville-marrakech.ma}}
| footnotes          = {{Notelist}}
{{Infobox UNESCO World Heritage Site
  | Official_name = Medina of Marrakesh
| Location=
 | Type = Cultural
  | Criteria      = i, ii, iv, v
  | ID            = 331
  | Year          = 1985
  | child         = yes
  | area          = 1,107 ha
}}
| official_name      = 
}}

'''Marrakesh''' or '''Marrakech''' ({{IPAc-en|m|ə|ˈ|r|æ|k|ɛ|ʃ|,_|ˌ|m|ær|ə|ˈ|k|ɛ|ʃ}};<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/marrakech?showCookiePolicy=true|title=Marrakech or Marrakesh|access-date=24 September 2014|publisher=Collins Dictionary|date=n.d.|archive-date=9 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209222519/http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/marrakech?showCookiePolicy=true|url-status=live}}</ref> {{langx|ar|مراكش|murrākuš}}, {{IPA|ar|murraːkuʃ|pron}}) is the fourth-largest city in [[Morocco]].<ref name=citydefn/> It is one of the four [[imperial cities of Morocco]] and is the capital of the [[Marrakesh–Safi]] [[Regions of Morocco|region]]. The city lies west of the foothills of the [[Atlas Mountains]].

The city was founded circa 1070 by [[Abu Bakr ibn Umar]] as the capital of the [[Almoravid dynasty]]. The Almoravids established the first major structures in the city and shaped its layout for centuries to come. The red [[Walls of Marrakesh|walls of the city]], built by [[Ali ibn Yusuf]] in 1122–1123, and various buildings constructed in red sandstone afterwards, have given the city the nickname of the "Red City" or "Ochre City". Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading center for the [[Maghreb]]. After a period of decline, Marrakesh regained its status in the early 16th century as the capital of the [[Saadian dynasty]], with sultans [[Abdallah al-Ghalib]] and [[Ahmad al-Mansur]] embellishing the city with an array of sumptuous monuments. Beginning in the 17th century, the city became popular among [[sufism|Sufi]] pilgrims for its [[Seven Saints of Marrakesh|seven patron saints]] who are buried here. In 1912, the [[French protectorate in Morocco|French Protectorate in Morocco]] was established and [[T'hami El Glaoui]] became Pasha of Marrakesh and generally held this position until the independence of Morocco and the reestablishment of the monarchy in 1956.

Marrakesh comprises an old fortified city packed with vendors and their stalls. This [[medina quarter]] is a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] and contains the [[Jemaa el-Fnaa]] square, a large number of [[souks]] (markets), the [[Kutubiyya Mosque]], and many other historic and cultural sites. The city serves as a major economic center and tourist destination. Real estate and hotel development in Marrakesh have grown dramatically in the 21st century. Marrakesh is particularly popular with the French, and numerous French celebrities own property in the city.

Marrakesh is served by [[Menara International Airport|Ménara International Airport]] and by [[Marrakesh railway station]], which connects the city to [[Casablanca]] and northern Morocco. Marrakesh has several universities and schools, including [[Cadi Ayyad University]]. A number of Moroccan football clubs are here, including [[Najm de Marrakech]], [[KAC Marrakech]], [[Mouloudia de Marrakech]] and [[Chez Ali Club de Marrakech]]. The [[Marrakesh Street Circuit]] hosts the [[World Touring Car Championship]], [[Auto GP]] and [[FIA Formula Two Championship (2009–2012)|FIA Formula Two Championship]] races.