The History Of Marrakech

The city was established around 800 AD as a meeting place between the Sudan and the tropical forests of Guinea. During the 16th century it became an important trading centre due to its location: it was on the river route through to Timbuktu, and on the route to gold and salt mines. The city was ruled by Moroccan kings, Tukulor emperors and the French at different times through its history, but commercial activity eventually moved to Mopti and Djenne declined in importance.
The original Great Mosque, built in 1240 by the sultan Koi Kunboro, was thought too extravagant by Sheikh Amadou, who replaced it with a smaller version in the 1830s. The current mosque, built around 1907, is one of the most stunning examples of Muslim architecture in Mali. The mosque has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and features architectural elements found ill mosques throughout the Islamic world.

Every spring, local masons repair the mud structure. This event has turned into an annual festival which includes the whole community. Small boys churn the mud before the event, women carry buckets of water perched on their heads while men bring the mud through the square. On the evening before of the event, drums and flutes are accompanied by chanting.

Other attractions include the Tomb of Tupama Djenepo, a young girl who was entombed here in the 12th century as a sacrifice to give prosperity to the people of Djenne. Legend has it that she went willingly and her family was honoured. Just outside Djenne are the remains of the ancient town of Djenne Jeno. Although there is not much to see, the site is atmospheric. Visitors must be accompanied by a guide from the Mission Culturelle, who will offer insight into this ancient site which dates back to the 3rd century BC.

The weekly market around the mosque is one of West Africa's most colourful markets with thousands of traders coming here from all over the region.

The mud-walled city of Agadez lies beneath the foothills of the stark and beautiful Air Mountains, just west of the classic sanddune sea of the Tenere Desert. An ancient trading town, it grew around the crossroads of the transSaharan caravan routes that linked Egypt and Libya to the Lake Chad area and Nigeria. The epitome of an exotic desert town, it is home to Fulani and Hausa tribesmen as well as nomadic Tuaregs, who walk the streets in their billowing blueish purple robes, faces half covered by swathes of dark fabric.

Founded in the 11th century, Agadez was a major Tuareg city, becoming a Sultanate in the 14th century. At its zenith during the 16th century it had a population of 30,000. The city declined during the 17th century after the Moroccan invasion of Sudan, but continued as a centre of Islamic learning. It was taken over by the French, around 1900. Nowadays, still a Sultanate, Agadez is on the 'Uranium Highway' linking Air to Niamey. A French owned uranium mine lies 250 km (156 mi) to the north, its extractions fuelling France's nuclear power stations.

The main sight here is the Grand Mosque, built in 1515. Said to be the highest mud brick minaret in Africa at 27 m (89 It), it was rebuilt in 1844 to the original design, spiked with traditional wooden crossbars. Nearby stands the three storey Sultan's Palace arrange a visit and, possibly, meet the Sultan.

The old town is a maze of narrow alleyways between single storey houses, some of which have beautifully decorated facades. At its heart is the Grand Marche where Tuareg people do business with southern Hausa traders.

Here are desert handicrafts including Tuareg leather and silverwork. Agadez crosses, of unique geometric design, have protective symbolism, and are worn by almost all Tuaregs. Watch them being made in the Artisan Centre and take one home as a reminder of this remote and romantic place.