Virtuoso Life - November/December 2007 - (Page 53) The varied window openings and interlaced arches prepare you for the wonder of the vaulted dome, with its scallop shells and plasterwork as deeply encrusted as a coral reef. Courtyard of the Ali ben Youssef Medersa. Ali ben Youssef Medersa This madrassa was rebuilt in the sixteenth century when the Maghreb (Western region) was cut off from the rest of the Islamic world but retained its mastery of construction and craft. The rich stucco ornament recalls the Alhambra Palace in Granada and a similar madrassa in Fès, both created two centuries earlier. In the courtyard, a pool reflects the starbursts of the tiled walls and the intricate tracery of the wooden doors. Dar Si Said Palace Though it’s barely 100 years old, Dar Si Said transports you to an Arabian Nights fantasy of tents in the desert, flashing scimitars, and gorgeously embroidered costumes. It houses the Museum of Moroccan Arts, which provides a fascinating glimpse of the country’s colorful history. Saadian Tombs The rulers who sponsored the Ben Youssef Medersa also created this sixteenth-century family necropolis, which is entered from a narrow passageway, bounded by crumbling mud ramparts. Dusty pink walls are set off by orange and lemon trees. Tiled pavilions with golden beehive vaults frame the simple marble markers where sultans are buried. Jardin Agdal Water is the most precious commodity in the desert, and the nomads who first built here channeled runoff from the mountains into underground cisterns and conduits to irrigate gardens and supply fountains throughout the city. Here, to the southeast of Bab Agnaou, amid walled groves of palms and olives, are raised tanks of still water that mirror misty peaks of the Atlas. Jardin Majorelle A short ride northwest of the old city is this gem of French settlement. Begun in 1923 by art nouveau master Jacques Majorelle, the painter son of art nouveau furniture designer Louis Majorelle, it’s a modern version of a traditional Islamic garden, with pools, rivulets, and vibrant blue walls, as well as loggias that Matisse would have adored. Cacti, coconut palms, and masses of purple, coral, and crimson bougainvillea play off the buildings. The garden was restored by Yves Saint Laurent, and his house is now a small museum of Islamic art. Juliet Ferguson/AlAmy
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