Doors 334 – Doors and the gardens of Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025 (Part XIV)
On our way home from the High Atlas mountains, we called in at the Anima gardens, an extraordinary place where a stunning collection of plants meets the creative artistic imagination of multi-media artist André Heller. This garden was one of the great highlights of our trip to Marrakesh. An oasis (almost literally) of cool shade in the middle of the parched arid landscape which was full of surprises around every corner.
The imaginative sculptures in the garden seemed to be perfectly at home despite their bright colours and quirkiness. The place was a feast for the eyes and a haven for birds and insects too. This was genuinely one of the best gardens I have visited in the world, and utterly unexpected. A must if visiting Marrakesh.
It is another week in which doors play second-fiddle to their surroundings, but I hope you enjoy the ensemble:
Entrance door to Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Colourful service doors, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Eyes over a gateway, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Desert plants, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Desert plants, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Garden staff door, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Face mask in the bushes, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Large sculpture spraying a fine mist, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Wooden sculpture, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Colourful cone sculpture, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Palm trees in the garden, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Another cone sculpture, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Open lawn in the garden at Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025View of the High Atlas from the garden at Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Classy cafe at Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Fancy iron door, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Large iron sculpture of a ‘Yaz’, a Berber symbol which appears on the Berber flag, Anima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
It has been fun digging out these pictures of the Anima garden, and I have shared far more than I intended for the purposes of Thursday Doors (a bit of a show-and-tell I’m afraid). Back to the city next time. Have a great weekend.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Doors 333 – Doors and views of Sti Fadma in the High Atlas Mountains, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025 (Part XIII)
We managed to escape from the busy bustle of Marrakesh on a day excursion south to the High Atlas mountains. Our driver, who was half Arab and half Berber, explained to us that we would be heading into the mountains which is mostly populated by Berbers, often called Imazighen (“free people”).
The drive only took a couple of hours, transporting us to a stunning high valley along the course of the Ourika River Valley. Here we stopped to take a hike up into the mountains to reach the lowest of several waterfalls cascading down into the valley below. The small town of Sti Fadma, with its restaurants lining the river banks, was the starting point for the walk and to which we returned for a well-earned lunch.
Because we were visiting Morocco during the low season, the mountains weren’t all that busy and there was no traffic on our journey. Our driver said that from March onwards, the temperatures in Marrakesh become unbearable, and people flood out of the city and head to the mountains, which are a bit of a honey-pot and attract enormous crowds of people seeking a cooler climate. I’m glad that we chose a quieter time, and for us Brits, anything over 24 degrees is considered warm/hot, so there were no complaints from us at all.
Not so many doors this week, but some lovely views of the mountains and Berber settlements. I hope you enjoy them.
Buildings on the south side of the River Ourika in Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Outside door to a building on the south side of the River Ourika in Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Outside door to a garden on the south side of the River Ourika in Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Ourika waterfall, Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Mountain views, Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Small Berber settlement near Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Mountain views, Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Our guide’s blue door, Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025Outdoor restaurants by the river, Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025River Ourika lined with restaurants, Sti Fadma, High Atlas, Morocco, January 2025
This is probably one of the least doorsy Thursday Doors posts that I have uploaded ever, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. Next time, we visit a garden on our way back to Marrakesh from the mountains. Until then, have a great weekend.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Doors 332 – Doors of the souks, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025 (Part XII)
It was inevitable that one of our days in Marrakesh would be allocated to shopping in the souks. These are open-air marketplaces in squares and in the central labyrinth of lanes in the north central part of the Medina. They are exactly as you imagine or might have seen in film or video… dusty, cramped, vibrant, smelly, chaotic and exciting. There is danger lurking in the form of mules pulling goods wagons and mopeds absolutely everywhere, weaving their way skilfully (and also recklessly) through the crowds of tourists and merchants – more on this in a couple of weeks.
The souks tend to be divided up into different areas, each specialising in different wares; textiles, jewellery, tinsmiths, spices, food and so on. The nature of the souks are such that losing your way is part of the experience. Even with mapping apps, navigation is challenging, and we went round in circles countless times, encountering places that we recognised from an earlier pass.
There is no danger of mugging or robbery, other than the ridiculous, and mandatory haggling for any and every item – something we Brits are pretty useless at. We tried to be as canny as we could, but we were dealing with professionals. We came home with some rather nice cushion covers, a couple of ceramic cups and a lamp (genie not included).
The doors in this selection are mostly in the streets of the souks. From the photographs, it doesn’t look all that busy, but I can assure you it was… I just waited for people to get out of the way to frame the doors a bit better. I hope you enjoy them:
Door within a studded door, Derb Mouassine, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Door in Le Jardin Secret, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Wooden studded door within a door, Derb Mouassine, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Souk scene, Derb Mouassine, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Gated archway and bicycles, Mouassine fountain, Derb Mouassine, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Typical shop front and door, Souk des Teinturiers, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Beautiful tiles surrounding a keyhole doorway and pair of doors, Souk des Teinturiers, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Keyhole archway and passage, Rue Dar El Bacha, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Archways and doorways, Rue Amesfah, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Shopfronts and doors, Rue Amesfah, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Sturdy archway, Rue Amesfah, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Unfortunately, I don’t think these pictures convey the bustle and chaos of the place, where one is constantly changing direction to avoid passing hazards, not least avoiding cats and kittens randomly scattered about the place. The souks aren’t simply a tourist trap, they are a way of life and deeply steeped in culture and history. To avoid them would be a big mistake if visiting Marrakesh.
Next time we take an out-of-town excursion…
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Doors 331 – Doors of the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025 (Part XI).
On arrival at our Riad Hotel in the Medina, the staff were very keen to point out all the ‘must visit’ places which we could visit during our stay. The closest, perhaps a ten-minute walk, was the Saadian Tombs.
My apologies to you all, but I have resorted to the Interweb to provide a short description of the Saadian Tombs:
The Saadian Tombs are one of the city’s most remarkable historical monuments, reflecting the grandeur of the Saadian dynasty that ruled from 1549 to 1659. Hidden for centuries and rediscovered in 1917, the tombs were built by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur to house members of the royal family and his successors. The complex is renowned for its exquisite Islamic architecture, blending Andalusian and Moroccan styles.
Its chambers are adorned with intricate stucco work, colourful zellij tile mosaics, finely carved cedar wood ceilings, and marble columns imported from Italy. The most famous section, the Hall of the Twelve Columns, features the sultan’s own tomb surrounded by others, symbolizing both royal power and the Saadian dynasty’s devotion to artistry and craftsmanship. Today, the tombs stand as a beautifully preserved testament to Morocco’s rich architectural and cultural heritage.
The rooms of the tombs were not accessible and many of the photographs were taken standing at the entrances, leaning into the rooms. It is definitely a fascinating site and worth putting on your itinerary if you happen to be visiting Marrakesh. I hope you enjoy the doors and architecture:
External wall of the Saadian Tombs showing earthquake damage, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Garden of the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Gated and tiled entrance to a room of the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Small ornate niche, the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025View through an archway towards the tombs of Muhammad al-Shaykh and Lalla Mas’uda showing elaborate tiles and plaster work, the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025The Chamber of the Twelve Columns, the mausoleum of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Garden of the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Detail of the extraordinary craftsmanship in the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025The ceilings over the Chamber of the Mihrab, the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Doorway of the Chamber of the Mihrab, the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025External door and doorway into the Chamber of the Mihrab, the Saadian Tombs, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
There was a rather nice ambience in the Saadian Tombs, and as it was early in the year, there weren’t too many tourists and not much queuing at all. Next time I’ll share some more of the bustling streets and souks. Have a great weekend.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
A gallery of small installations from the wonderful artist Mutatee. I’m not too sure if she is still active, and these pieces are from a few years ago.
Doors 330 – Doors and Minarets of Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025 (Part X)
One of the things that is most notable in Marrakesh is the absence of any high-rise buildings due to a law that prohibits any structures from being taller than the Koutoubia Mosque minaret, which stands at 77 meters in height. There are other additional cultural and aesthetic reasons for this approach, and the outcome is that the third floors of most restaurants, shops and houses are open-air, affording views across the whole city and beyond.
This week’s selection of door pictures includes the Koutoubia Mosque minaret and the famous Jemaa el-Fna the main square in the medina, where food and refreshment stalls occupy space adjacent to snake charmers and hawkers of one sort or another. The square only really comes to life in the evenings, when it is a thriving mix of locals and tourists taking advantage of the cooler temperatures.
I hope you enjoy this week’s selection:
Busy market street, Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid, Marrakesh, Morocco
Market stall in front of a magnificent large door, Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid, Marrakesh, Morocco
Afternoon at the Jemaa el-Fna square, Marrakesh, Morocco
Keyhole gateway and passage, Derb Oualdine, Marrakesh, Morocco
Minaret and door of the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco
Main door of the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco
A keyhole door of the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco
View towards a gateway and the Koutoubia Mosque, Marrakesh, Morocco
View towards the Koutoubia Mosque from the Kasbah Cafe, Rue de la Kasbah, Marrakesh, Morocco
In the last photograph, you can see the walls of the mosque propped up following the devastating earthquake in September 2023. That’s it for this week. More from Marrakesh next time.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Doors 329 – Doors of Marrakesh, Bahia Palace, Morocco, January 2025 (Part IX)
I wrote this last night as I have been exiled to the study – my wife is hosting book club ‘film night’ – can you believe it?… just another excuse to chat, eat and drink, I reckon. They read The Salt Path as their last book, (I am actually reading it at the moment) and so of course they are watching the film to complete the circle. I, instead, will get ahead of myself, preparing tomorrow’s blog posts…
This week there is a slight change from the Marrakesh posts so far, the doors in this selection are all from the Bahia Palace. At this point, I am getting lazy, and have commissioned ChatGPT to write me a paragraph about Bahia Palace – the following is my question and ChatGPT’s response:
Me: Give me a one paragraph synopsis of the Bahia Palace in Morocco to put into my blog post about doors
ChatGPT: The Bahia Palace in Marrakesh, Morocco, is a stunning example of 19th-century Moroccan architecture, renowned for its intricate craftsmanship and opulent design. Built to showcase the wealth and influence of Grand Vizier Si Moussa, the palace features elaborately carved wooden doors, vibrant zellige tilework, and hand-painted cedar ceilings. The doors of the Bahia Palace are particularly striking—each one a unique blend of geometric precision and Andalusian flair, reflecting the diverse cultural influences of Morocco. These ornate entrances not only connect rooms and courtyards but also serve as artistic statements, embodying the palace’s spirit of grandeur and meticulous detail.
I’m reasonably happy with that, and it has saved me time synthesising content from several websites and replicating it here, and I did my ‘heavy lifting’ taking the photographs in the first place. I hope you enjoy the pictures from the palace:
Garden of Bahia Palace with fruit trees, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Palace ceiling, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Palace hallway, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Recreation of a room, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Painted wooden doors, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Panelled wooden door, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Mural in a small washroom, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
The grand courtyard, partially fenced off due to earthquake damage, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Hidden archway and steps, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Stunning tiles and wooden surround on this entrance, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Beautiful tiles, a keyhole doorway and large wooden doors, Bahia Palace, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
The Marrakesh door saga continues next time, and I am sorry to say will continue for a few more weeks yet, but there are some excursions worth waiting for.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Doors 328 – Doors of Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025 (Part VIII)
I have been a little all over the place lately, and just returned from a few days fishing in Cornwall. I also have to go in to the office tomorrow, something of a rarity, so I am getting ahead of myself by writing this post last night.
These are the last few doors in Marrakesh from an early morning doorscursion on my own, during a short period of light drizzle. These street doors here resemble many of the doors I have already featured, but include some open gateways as I approached the Souk area. Next week things get a little bit different, but in the meantime I hope you enjoy this selection:
Studded door and ornate surround, Rue Douar Graoua, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
Studded door within a door, Rue Douar Graoua, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Steps up to a slim door, Rue Douar Graoua, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Door to Riad Mehdia, Rue Douar Graoua, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Door within a large double door complete with chair and motorbike, Rue Riad Zitoun El Jedid, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Doorway to the Bahia Craft Market, Trik Amlak Mkhaznia, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Doorway to a carpet shop, Trik Amlak Mkhaznia, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Tiled keyhole doorway to the jeweller’s souk, Trik Amlak Mkhaznia, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025Large city wall gateway, Rue de Berrima, Marrakesh, Morocco, January 2025
I guess this is about the halfway stage of doors from Marrakesh, and so far all of the doors have been residences or shops. The next few selections will be from sites and places of interest that we visited during our stay, although the odd street door will be making appearances from time to time. May I wish you a fabulous weekend.
If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s weekly Thursday Doors post.
Natural adventures 