Mellah The Mellah of Marrakesh is the old Jewish Quarter (Mellah) of the city, and is located in the kasbah area of the city's medina, east of Place des Ferblantiers. It was created in 1558 by the Saadians at the site where the sultan's stables were. At the time, the Jewish community consisted of a large portion of the city's tailors, metalworkers, bankers, jewelers, and sugar traders. During the 16th century, the Mellah had its own fountains, gardens, synagogues and souks. Until the arrival of the French in 1912, Jews could not own property outside of the Mellah; all growth was consequently contained within the limits of the neighborhood, resulting in narrow streets, small shops and higher residential buildings. The Mellah, today reconfigured as a mainly residential zone renamed Hay Essalam, currently occupies an area smaller than its historic limits and has an almost entirely Muslim population. The Slat al-Azama Synagogue (or Lazama Synagogue), built around a central courtyard, is in the Mellah. The Jewish cemetery here is the largest of its kind in Morocco. Characterized by white-washed tombs and sandy graves, the cemetery is within the Medina on land adjacent to the Mellah. According to the World Jewish Congress there were only 250 Moroccan Jews remaining in Marrakesh.
Mellah The Mellah of Marrakesh is the old Jewish Quarter (Mellah) of the city and is located in the kasbah area of the city's medina east of Place des Ferblantiers It was created in 1558 by the Saadians at the site where the sultan's stables were At the time the Jewish community consisted of a large portion of the city's tailors metalworkers bankers jewelers and sugar traders During the 16th century the Mellah had its own fountains gardens synagogues and souks Until the arrival of the French in 1912 Jews could not own property outside of the Mellah; all growth was consequently contained within the limits of the neighborhood resulting in narrow streets small shops and higher residential buildings The Mellah today reconfigured as a mainly residential zone renamed Hay Essalam currently occupies an area smaller than its historic limits and has an almost entirely Muslim population The Slat al-Azama Synagogue (or Lazama Synagogue) built around a central courtyard is in the Mellah The Jewish cemetery here is the largest of its kind in Morocco Characterized by white-washed tombs and sandy graves the cemetery is within the Medina on land adjacent to the Mellah According to the World Jewish Congress there were only 250 Moroccan Jews remaining in Marrakesh