Spatial Cartography
The Medina Atlas
Marrakech medina. 600 hectares. Every gate, souk, and landmark.
The medina of Marrakech is a walled city within a city — 16 km of ramparts enclosing a labyrinth of 400+ dead-end lanes, 16 quarters, 18 souks, 12 gates, and thousands of courtyard houses. Founded by the Almoravids around 1070, expanded by the Almohads, embellished by the Saadians, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most visited medina in Morocco.
12
gates (Bab)
16
quarters
18
named souks
16 km
of ramparts
Jemaa el-Fna
Square · UNESCO 2001
Bahia Palace
Palace · 1866
El Badi Palace
Palace · Saadian 1578
Royal Palace
Palace · Alaouite
Ben Youssef Medersa
School · Saadian 1565
Saadian Tombs
Tomb · Saadian 1557
Koubba Almoravid
Monument · Almoravid 1117
Dar el-Bacha
Museum · 17thC
Le Jardin Secret
Garden · Saadian/2016
Lazama Synagogue
Synagogue · 1492
Agdal Gardens
Garden · Almohad 12thC
The 16 Quarters
Each quarter (hay) is a neighbourhood with its own mosque, fountain, hammam, and bread oven.
Souk by Craft
The souk organises by trade: precious goods near the centre, heavy trades at the edge.
The Medinas — Mapped
The medina is not a maze — it is a system. The Koutoubia minaret is the compass point. The gates are the ports. The souks are organised by trade, not chance. The dead-end lanes are security, not confusion. Every element has a logic. You just need to learn the grammar.
Sources
Spatial data from UNESCO World Heritage nomination file (1985), Wilbaux (2001) “La Médina de Marrakech,” and ADER-Fès/Marrakech rehabilitation surveys. Gate periods from Deverdun (1959) “Marrakech.” Souk inventory from Ministry of Artisanat craft census. Landmark dates from individual monument records.
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