The Majorelle Garden

The Majorelle Garden (Jardin Majorelle) previously the Jardin Bou Saf, was designed by the French expatriate artist Jacques Majorelle in 1924. Jacques Majorelle was the son of the celebrated Art Nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Nancy in 1901 and later in 1919 he went to Marrakesh, Morocco to recover from heart problems. He built the garden during those years using special colour of blue which he used extensively in the garden that is named after him, Majorelle Blue. Jacques Majorelle returned to France in 1962 after a car incident and died later that year of complications from his injuries. Even though Morocco is no longer under the French protectorate, this originally French creation is one of the most beloved areas in Morocco.

Although the Majorelle Garden has existed in Morocco for decades, it was only made famous abroad when the Majorelle Garden’s former owner and care-taker, fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, featured it in the 1997 Chelsea Flower Show in London. Since this time, many have journeyed to Morocco just to see the Majorelle Garden.

Yves Henri Donat Mathieu-Saint-Laurent, known as Yves Saint Laurent was born on August 1, 1936 in Oran, Algeria. Laurent became a fashion designer and was considered one of the greatest figures in French fashion in the 20th century. He was one of the most celebrated and influential designers of the past twenty-five years. During the 1960s and 1970s Saint Laurent was considered one of Paris's "jet set". He was often seen at clubs in France and New York such as Regine's and Studio 54. When he was not actively supervising the preparation of a collection, though, he spent time at his second home in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Recently, the gift shop within the Majorelle Garden has been redesigned to include some of the most fashionable Jalabas and a wealth of books and unique gift items. The garden has also been re-cropped with new trees, plants, cactus and grass so it continues to remain a Moroccan treasure trove. The Majorelle and its buildings are embellished by a unique shade of cobalt blue - the featured color in the garden. The garden is twelve acres in size and radiates with multi-colored bougainvillea, rows of bright orange nasturtiums, pink geraniums, bold pergolas and concrete paths that exist in shades of pastel pink, lovely lemon and apple green.

With the garden there are the over fifteen different species of birds, such as turtle doves, bulbuls and house buntings. With its beautiful groves of bamboo, date palms and various lily covered pools, it is little wonder why these marvelous creatures choose Majorelle Garden as their home. When visiting the Majorelle Garden, make sure not to miss petite well curated Islamic Art Museum of Marrakech, which is located on the garden’s grounds. The collection includes Northern African textiles, traditional killims (carpets) of Arabic and Berber design, pottery, jewelry, ceramics, furniture, paintings and two large doors from Yves Saint-Laurent’s personal collection.

The Majorelle Garden is open all year long with the exception of October and November. The hours change depending on the time of year so make sure to check your itinerary against garden’s schedule. If after exploring the Majorelle Garden, you still feel compelled to see more of Marrakesh's botanical beauty, there are a few other gardens worth the visit. The most famous are the Agdal and the Menara, two gardens designed with the purpose of being a place of relaxation.

Marrakesh, Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis

Founded in 1070-1072 by the Almoravids (1056-1147), capital of the Almohads (1147-1269), Marrakesh was, for a long time, a major political, economic and cultural centre of the western Muslim world, reigning in North Africa and Andalusia. Vast monuments dating back to that period: Koutoubia Mosque, with the matchless minaret of 77 metres, an essential monument of Muslim architecture, is one of the important landmarks of the urban landscape and the symbol of the City, the Kasbah, ramparts, monumental gates and gardens. Later, the town welcomed other marvels, such as the Badiâ Palace, the Ben Youssef merdersa, les Saâdians tombs,  Bahia Palace and large residences. Jamaâ El Fna Square, inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, is a true open-air theatre that always amazes visitors. Due to its still protected, original and well conserved conception, its construction materials and decoration in constant use, and its natural environment (notably the Gardens of Aguedal, Ménara and the Palm Grove (Palmeraie) the plantation of which is attributed to the Almoravids), the Medina of Marrakesh possesses all its initial components both cultural and natural that illustrate its Outstanding Universal Value.

Criterion (i): Marrakesh contains an impressive number of masterpieces of architecture and art (ramparts and monumental gates, Koutoubia Mosque, Saâdians tombs, ruins of the Badiâ Palace, Bahia Palace, Ménara water feature and pavilion) each one of which could justify, alone, a recognition of Outstanding Universal Value.

Criterion (ii): The capital of the Almoravids and the Almohads has played a decisive role in medieval urban development.  Capital of the Merinids, Fès Jedid (the New town), integral part of the Medina of Fez, inscribed in 1981 on the World Heritage List, is an adaptation of the earlier urban model of Marrakesh.

Criterion (iv): Marrakesh, which gave its name to the Moroccan empire, is a completed example of a major Islamic capital of the western Mediterranean.

Criterion (v): In the 700 hectares of the Medina, the ancient habitat, rendered vulnerable due to demographic change, represents an outstanding example of a living historic town with its tangle of lanes, its houses, souks, fondouks, artisanal activities and traditional trades.

Integrity (2009)

The boundary of the property inscribed on the World Heritage List is correctly defined by the original ramparts that enclose all the requisite architectural and urban attributes for recognition of its Outstanding Universal Value.  A revision of these boundaries is envisaged for increased protection of the surroundings of the property.

Nevertheless, the integrity of the property is vulnerable due to pressure from urban development, uncontrolled alterations to upper floors and construction materials of the houses, the abandonment of the Khettaras (underground drainage galleries) and exploitation of the palm groves.

Authenticity (2009)

The ramparts, the Koutoubia Mosque, the kasbah, the Saâdians tombs, the ruins of Badiâ Palace, Menara water feature and pavilion, are examples of many monuments that clearly reflect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. The authenticity of the inner urban structure and of the monuments remains intact.  It is ensured by qualified workmanship carrying out restorations in accordance with standards in force. Reconstruction and redevelopment work carried out in the heart of the historic centre generally respects the original volume and style. The use of traditional materials in these restoration operations has tremendously revived the artisanal trades linked to construction (Zellige, lime plaster (tadallakt), painted and sculpted wood, plastering, wrought ironwork, cabinetmaking, etc.) in addition to trades linked to furnishing and decoration.

Protection and management requirements (2009)

Protection measures are essentially related to different laws for the listing of historic monuments and sites, in particular Law 22-80 concerning heritage. In addition to this legislation, each of the more important monuments of the Medina of Marrakesh is protected by specific regulatory texts. Over and above the local services that are involved with the protection of the Medina, the Regional Inspection for Historic Monuments and Sites (attached to the Ministry for Culture) is specifically responsible for the management, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the historic monuments on the one hand, and on the other, the examination of requests for building and development permits and the control of building sites in the Medina, thus constituting a guarantee for a sustainable protection of the site.

The Architectural Charter of the Medina of Marrakesh, developed by the Urban Agency of Marrakesh in cooperation with the Regional Inspection for Historic Monuments and Sites, comprises a management tool for the safeguarding of the architectural, urban and landscape heritage of the Medina. It will be applied through the establishment of a specific advisory structure. A convention for the implementation of this Charter was signed on 11 November 2008 between the concerned partners.

Source: UNESCO