Hadaéq al-Menara

The Menara Gardens in Marrakech date back to the Almohad Dynasty that ruled Morocco most of North Africa and Spain from around 1130 to the beginning of the 13th century. The Marinid and Sa'di Dynasties both left their mark on the garden. The garden is composed largely of olive, cypress and fruit trees. It is watered by Sahrij al-Menara, a large reservoir that collects water from the surrounding mountains via channels build by the Almoravid Caliph 'Ali bin Yusuf (reg. 1107-1142). At the edge of the reservoir sits the two-story Maa'lamat al-Menara, literally the Menara Landmark but known in English as the Menara Pavilion. It and the reservoir are among the most photographed attractions in Morocco. A pavilion was originally built by the Sa'di rulers, but the current structure was built by Moulay Muhammad bin 'Abd al-Rahman (reg. 1859-1873) in 1869.exterior, pavilion viewed from the western edge of the reservoir, 199