Friday 6 July 2012

The flea market in Marrakech – bab el khemis




If you love flea markets and are on the lookout for architectural remnants this is the place to go in Marrakech.  Bab el Khemis is translated as the Thursday gate. It is indeed one of the gates that allows access to the old city of Marrakech, called the medina.  It got its name from the local market held there every Thursday. Now it’s open every day of the week but it’s especially busy on Thursdays and Sundays.

You can stroll through and find old doors called rtaj doors that are the huge wooden doors to the rooms in a riad (townhouse in the medina). You will also see old wooden entrance gates – some with lovely decoration.

They are certainly decorative if you use them on a property, as they would have been used, or just propped against a wall in a city apartment. Other finds include the beautiful ironwork used as grilles on windows, found also in both our riads, Riad Ariha and Riad Chi-Chi.  These are still handmade by metalworkers in the numerous workshops dotted about the medina.  Beautiful mouchroubia - the carved wooden screens - can also be found.

It is even possible to find old art deco furniture from the French colonial period. If you like African handicrafts, how about hand-carved wooden bowls?
There are carpets galore, pots – and many broken small kitchen appliances ….

Come and stay with us in Riad Ariha or Riad Chi-Chi to get an authentic experience of living in the old city of Marrakesh.

http://www.riadariha.com/blog-faqs/flea-market-in-marrakech.htm

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