Quick answerMarrakesh is a city in Morocco, with 1,014,813 people inside the city limits in 2024. It is best known for the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Koutoubia Mosque and the Red City. Its official languages are Arabic and Tamazight, and its currency is the Moroccan dirham.
Marrakesh is the fourth-largest city in Morocco, with about 1 million people (2024 census). It is one of the country's four imperial cities, founded around 1070, and is famous for the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, the Koutoubia Mosque and the Atlas Mountains on its horizon.
Key facts
| Country | Morocco |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 1,014,813 (2024) |
| Elevation | 466 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Casablanca |
| Language | Arabic, Tamazight |
| Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD, د.م.) |
| Coordinates | 31.63° N, 8.0089° W |
Overview
Marrakesh is the fourth-largest city in Morocco and one of the four imperial cities of the country, west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. The city itself had 1,014,813 residents in the 2024 census, and it is the capital of the Marrakesh-Safi region. It sits 466 metres above sea level, with the snow-capped High Atlas visible from the city on clear days.
Marrakesh was founded around 1070 by the Almoravids and became the capital of an empire stretching across North Africa and into Spain. Its great landmarks come from that age and later ones: the Koutoubia Mosque, with its 77-metre minaret, the Jemaa el-Fnaa square, the Saadian Tombs, the Bahia Palace and the Ben Youssef Madrasa. The old medina is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the city is known as the Red City for the colour of its walls and buildings.
Today Marrakesh is Morocco's most visited city, famous for the storytellers, snake charmers and food stalls of the Jemaa el-Fnaa at night, for its gardens, above all the Jardin Majorelle, and for its souks. It is also the gateway to the High Atlas, to the Ourika Valley and to the desert town of Merzouga, and it hosted the COP22 climate conference in 2016.
What Marrakesh is known for
- Jemaa el-Fnaa
- Koutoubia Mosque
- Red City
- Jardin Majorelle
- Souks
- Gateway to the Atlas Mountains
Landmarks
- Koutoubia Mosque
- Jemaa el-Fnaa
- Bahia Palace
- Jardin Majorelle
- Saadian Tombs
- Ben Youssef Madrasa
- El Badi Palace
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Marrakesh?
About 1 million people live in the city of Marrakesh (1,014,813 in the 2024 census). The wider Marrakesh Prefecture had about 1.57 million people. That makes Marrakesh the fourth-largest city in Morocco, after Casablanca, Tangier and Fez.
What is Marrakesh famous for?
Marrakesh is famous for the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the great square where storytellers, musicians and food stalls gather every evening, and for the Koutoubia Mosque, the Saadian Tombs and the Bahia Palace. It is known as the Red City for the colour of its walls, and as the gateway to the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara.
Where is Marrakesh located?
Marrakesh is in central Morocco, west of the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and it is the capital of the Marrakesh-Safi region. It sits 466 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 31.63° N, 8.01° W, and its time zone is Africa/Casablanca.
Quick quiz
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Keep exploring
- Morocco — the country Marrakesh is in
- Casablanca — another city in Morocco
- Fès — another city in Morocco
- Rabat — another city in Morocco
- All cities in Morocco
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.