Marrakech
From History's Greatest Cities by History Extra
June 2, 2025 · 35 min · Season 4 · Episode 8
About this episode
This episode explores the rich heritage and evolution of Marrakech through its historical landmarks and key figures.
From medieval Islamic roots and conquest by successive dynasties, to French colonial rule and a modern evolution, Marrakech has a rich heritage – and many eye-catching monuments. Travel writer and history buff Paul Bloomfield takes a trip to Marrakech with author and publisher Barnaby Rogerson – heading through the souks and alleys of the ancient Medina, past tanneries, mosques and the Islamic madrasas. Along the way, they also meet some of the characters who played key roles in the development of the Moroccan city and discover lesser-known places to visit for insights into its heritage. History’s Greatest Cities is produced by HistoryExtra, the home of ‘History’s Greatest’ podcasts. Listen to our other podcasts History’s Greatest Conspiracy Theories, History’s Greatest Scandals, History’s Greatest Battles, HistoryExtra Long Reads and the HistoryExtra podcast at historyextra.com/podcast. For more fascinating stories from the past, check out BBC History Magazine or head to HistoryExtra.com. We'd love to know what you think about the podcast, so leave us a review and let us know the topics you think we should be covering. Or, follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram or YouTube to keep…
People in this episode
Host: Paul Bloomfield
Guest: Barnaby Rogerson
Topics covered
- Marrakech
- Islamic heritage
- French colonial rule
- travel
- history
- culture
Keywords
- Marrakech
- Islamic madrasas
- souks
- tanneries
- mosques
- history
- travel
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: HistoryExtra
Places: Marrakech, Morocco
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