Menara Gardens are the most popular landscaped gardens in Marrakech, located west of the medina, near Mount Atlas. If peace and tranquility are your preference, then you should take some time to visit the Menara Gardens during your visit to the Red City of Morocco. The Menara Gardens date from the 12th century and are located near Mount Atlas, around the lake, from which fruits and vegetables planted on the surrounding land were watered. The way the lake is being restored is very impressive by itself because it is a 700-year-old hydraulic system, together with a complex network of underground canals that bring water to the lake from Mount Atlas, about 30 kilometers away. The most beautiful part of this green area is lake, as well as the thousands of olive trees that surround the area.
The gardens were named after a small pavilion that is still located there today. The builder of the gardens was Abd al-Mu’min, and they were later restored in 1870. The pavilion was used by the sultan as a summer house. Visitors can enjoy fantastic panoramic views from the side of the lake opposite the pavilion.
Admission to the Menara Gardens is free, but if you want to enjoy a picnic inside the pavilion, then you need to pay a fee of about $5.
Working hours of the gardens: every day from 8 am to 5 pm.
photo credit: Alex Plesovskich
