The Jewish Mellah

The Bab Elmaleh gate features an arched entryway carved directly into the thick, sun-baked clay walls of the Marrakech medina. This gate served as a specialized transit point for the Jewish population living in the Mellah during the…

The Mellah stands out for its high, defensive walls that once separated this Jewish quarter from the rest of the Marrakech medina. Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib established this district in the sixteenth century to house the city's Jewish…

Tinsmiths Square features a massive fountain built from colorful, geometric zellij tilework that anchors the center of the space. Metalworkers here transform sheets of brass and copper into intricate lamps and basins using methods that…

The Mellah spice market features stalls piled high with conical mounds of cumin, saffron, and ras el hanout, framed by low stone archways. Once the heart of the Jewish quarter, this area served as a center for trade and alchemy for…

The Slat Al Azama Synagogue sits behind a modest, nondescript door in the Mellah, marked by a bright blue archway and tiled wall panels that contrast with the surrounding ochre streets. Built in fourteen ninety-two, it was established by…

The three-story riad Miaâra stands out for the intricate geometric patterns of its lime-plaster carvings and the deep, cool shadows of its central courtyard. Built within the historic Jewish quarter of the Mellah, the house served as a…