Jemaa

Djemaa El Fna Square

Djemaa Square El Fna
The meaning
The origin of its name is unclear: Jemaa means “congregation” in Arabic, probably referring to a destroyed Almoravid mosque. Fanâ’ or finâ’ can mean “death” or “a courtyard, space in front of a building”. “Finâ’ in Arabic commonly means “open area”, the direct translation would be “meeting area/congregation.
History
Morocco was founded by the Almoravids in 1070-1072. After a destructive struggle, it was falling to the Almohads in 1147. After this, Jamaa el-Fna was renovated along with much of the city. The city walls were also extended by Abou Yacoub Youssef and particularly by Yacoub the Mansour of 1147-1158. The mosque, the palace, the hospital and the surrounding gardens bordering the market were also revised, and the kasbah was fortified. Later, Jamaa el Fna saw periods of decline and also of renovation, and this square has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Day to day
During the day it is occupied by orange juice stalls, vendors with traditional leather water bags and brass cups, young people with Barbary monkeys chained and snake charmers (despite the protected status of these species under Moroccan law).as the day progresses, entertainment changes: snake charmers leave, and in the afternoon the square is more crowded. You can find people telling their stories in Berber or Arabic to an audience of locals, magicians and street vendors of traditional medicines. As it gets dark, the market fills with dozens of food stalls, such as the squareThis square is the gateway to Morocco’s famous souks. It is the authentic nerve centre of Morocco, and you can see the authentic traditional spirit of the imperial city of Morocco. The square is bordered by the souk of Marrakech, a traditional North African market that serves both the common daily needs of locals and tourism. On the other hand, there are the hotels, the gardens, the terraces of the cafés, etc.]]>

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