Dar el Bacha - Izeria

Dar el Bacha (Arabic: دار الباشا, lit. 'House of the Pasha') is a palace situated in the old medina of Marrakesh, Morocco. It currently houses the Museum of Confluences.

1. History

Built in 1910, the Dar el Bacha, which means "house of the pasha", was the residence of Thami El Glaoui, who was given the title of pasha (roughly "governor" or other high official) of Marrakech by the Sultan Moulay Youssef in 1912. For years he was the most powerful political figure of the Moroccan south under French rule. He built his private palace on a lavish scale to impress guests. The palace was renovated by the Fondation nationale des musées (FNM) of Morocco and converted into a museum known as the Dar El Bacha – Musée des Confluences or "Museum of Confluences". It was inaugurated by Mohammed VI of Morocco on 9 July 2017. The palace suffered damage during the September 2023 earthquake and was subsequently closed for repairs. The Fondation nationale des musées has estimated that the palace would reopen in November 2023.

1. Architecture

Dar el Bacha represents a beautiful example of Moroccan architecture and of riad architecture, with fountains and orange trees in the central courtyard, traditional seating areas, and a hammam. In addition to traditional Moroccan features, the palace also demonstrates influences of European architecture and was one of the earliest palaces in Marrakesh to feature ostentatious decoration on its exterior.

The area where the museum is housed today is centered around a rectangular courtyard occupied by a large riad garden that is symmetrically divided into four parts. On each side of this courtyard is a salon or hall preceded by a portico with ornate columns. The rest of the palace included a hammam, a service area (the douiria), and a private family area (the harem). Many of the original design features have been maintained and restored, including zellij mosaic tilework on the floors and walls, carved stucco decoration, and carved and painted cedar wood doors and ceilings.

1. Museum and café

The museum also holds temporary exhibits highlighting the different facets of Moroccan culture, as well as various art objects from different cultures across the world. In 2018, one of its exhibits focused on displaying objects from places of worship in all three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam). The exhibits are located in the rooms around the main courtyard. Also attached to the museum is a café, Bacha Coffee, which is housed in a period salon and specializes in Arabica coffee.

1. See also

Dar Glaoui Telouet Kasbah

1. References

Nearby Places View Menu

Walls of Marrakesh

The Walls of Marrakesh are a set of defensive ramparts which enclose the historic medina districts of Marrakesh, Morocco. They were first laid out in the early 12th century by the Almoravid dynasty which founded the city in 1070 CE as their new capital. The walls have since been expanded several times by the addition of the Kasbah to the south at the end of the 12th century and by a later extension to encompass the northern neighbourhood around the Zawiya of Sidi Bel Abbes. The Gates of Marrakesh were for the most part established since the original Almoravid construction of the city walls, but most have been modified during later periods. Other gates were also added when the Almohads created the Kasbah, which itself has been expanded and re-worked many times since.

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Zawiya of Sidi Abd el-Aziz

The Zawiya of Sidi Abd el-Aziz (alternate spellings include Zaouia of Sidi Abdelaziz) is an Islamic religious complex (zawiya) in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is centered around the tomb of the Muslim scholar and Sufi saint Sidi Abu Faris Abd al-Aziz Abd al-Haq at-Tabba', who died in Marrakesh in 1508. Sidi Abd el-Aziz is considered one of the Seven Saints of Marrakesh, and his tomb was a prominent stop for pilgrims to Marrakesh. The zawiya is located on Rue Mouassine (Mouassine Street) at its intersection with Rue Amesfah.

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Mouassine Fountain

The Mouassine Fountain is a part of the 16th-century religious complex of the Mouassine Mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco. The tradition of building public fountains in Marrakesh is old but took on a very monumental character in the Saadian era.

Historic Site Landmark