Marrakesh
Founded 1062, southern capital, Saharan trade terminus. Trans-Saharan wealth built medina. Now: major tourism hub, millions of visitors, riads, Atlas/Sahara gateway.
Marrakesh, founded 1062 by Almoravid dynasty, has been Morocco's southern capital and Saharan trade terminus for nearly a millennium. The name "Morocco" derives from Marrakesh. Unlike Fes (craft guilds) or Rabat (political capital), Marrakesh's identity centers on being the crossroads where Saharan caravans met Atlas mountain traders and coastal merchants. The medina's souks, Jemaa el-Fnaa square, and palatial architecture (Bahia Palace, El Badi Palace ruins) reflect centuries of accumulated wealth from trans-Saharan trade. By the 21st century, tourism dominates—the city received millions of visitors annually pre-pandemic, drawn by riads (traditional courtyard houses converted to hotels), gardens, and proximity to Atlas mountains and Sahara tours. The September 2023 earthquake damaged parts of the medina but didn't devastate the city like nearby mountain towns. Marrakesh continues as Morocco's second-largest tourist destination after Casablanca.