Marrakech Riads - Gardens Within a Home

The organization of Marrakech Riads some years ago was received with critical doubts. But eventually, through the support of experts who were geared at building traditional homes, the riads were reestablished and were added to the spectacular panorama of Morocco.

Moroccan houses that has a garden within are traditionally known as Marrakech riads. Some riads are simple homes while some are palaces. In Arabic, riad or ryad means "garden". The method of riad's architectural design can be traced back to Voulubiis, an ancient city in rome. Riads remain to be a major architectural design in Morocco because it upholds the need for privacy inside the home of Islamic women.

The Marrakech Riads allow for family privacy as well as security from the severe weather conditions in Morocco. Its thick, windowless walls are ideal for Moroccan women, mainly the sheltered ones who want to preserve their privacy as well as maintain an interior garden at the center of their home.

The moment one steps in a riad, he would feel like he is secluded from the world outside. All the rooms in the homes or palaces open into the inner courtyard while the outer walls lack windows. If you will look at riads from outside, the casual building with thick and windowless brick walls show nothing much of the splendor that lies within. However, a different world which provides the guest a picture to dessert life awaits him once he steps inside.

In this mid garden, traditionally there are four orange or lemon trees and a central fountain. The walls of the home are artistically plastered with tiles etched or painted with Arabic calligraphy lifted from the Holy Quran.

The designs of Marrakech Riads have been somewhat altered through the years but its basic structure is still the same. Today, there is a rebirth of interest in building of homes in this design specially since the restoration of the ancient Marrakech Riads. The ancient palaces and homes were the subject of a victorious experimentation and have been restored to their former glory as hotels and restaurants and are now open to the community.

To learn more on riad marrakech please visit our website!