The Mellah (Jewish Quarter)

About this place

The Mellah of Marrakech is one of the most historically significant Jewish quarters in Morocco and the second-oldest in the kingdom after Fez. It was created by decree of Saadian Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib in 1558, situated just outside the walls of El Badi Palace in the southeastern corner of the medina. The establishment of the Mellah followed the arrival of large numbers of Sephardic Jews — known as the Megorashim or Expellees — who fled the Iberian Peninsula after the Reconquista and the Spanish Edict of Expulsion in 1492, followed by the Portuguese expulsion in 1496. These highly educated refugees brought with them expertise in commerce, medicine, and science, and over the following decades they became integral to Morocco's merchant class, particularly in precious metals, gemstones, and international trade. The Mellah was a walled quarter with its own gates closed at night, and it became one of the main commercial areas of Marrakech. At its peak in the late 1940s, approximately 40,000 people lived here. The quarter contains the Slat al-Azama Synagogue, one of the oldest in the city, and the largest Jewish cemetery in Morocco. In 2016, King Mohammed VI launched a major restoration program, allocating over $20 million to restore the Mellah's houses, streets, and synagogues, recognizing it as an essential part of Morocco's multicultural heritage.