The Jardin Majorelle aka Majorelle Garden is a beautiful oasis in the hustle and bustle of Marrakech. 25 minutes north-west from the medina, this 9000 square meter garden (almost 100K square feet) has 300+ plant species with colorful buildings & art sprinkled throughout.
French painter Jacques Majorelle fell in love with the area when he moved here in 1919 and over the course of 40 years, he built a house and created a beautiful garden inspired islamic art which aimed to be a sanctuary and botanical "laboratory". He used exotic plants from all around the world, describing it as "an impressionistic garden" and "a cathedral of form and colors". He even created "Majorelle blue", the deep navy paint color used onthe various buildings throughout the garden. After his death in 1962, the house lay abandoned for years and was at risk of being scrapped by hotel developers until designer Yves Saint Laurent and label cofounder Pierre Bergé bought the complex and lived Majorelle's villa which they renamed "the Villa Oasis." Yves Saint Laurent said "For many years, the Jardin Majorelle has provided me with an endless source of inspiration, and I have often dreamt of its unique colours.” There is now a Yves Saint Laurent museum and a Berber museum.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Location: The gardens are located in the same complex as the Yves Saint Laurent and the Berber Museum on Rue Yves Saint Laurent.
Hours: The museum is open every day of the year. October 1 to April 30 from 8am to 5:30pm with last entrance at 5pm, May 1 to September 30 from 8am to 6pm with last entrance at 5:30pm. In the month of Ramadan it’s open from 9am to 5pm with last entrance at 4:30pm.
When to go: The gardens can get very busy with their website recommending to avoid the 10am-2pm rush hours. Try going early in the morning or later in the evening - the garden is a great place to escape the heat and relax but less so when there’s lots of people.
Ticket: The ticket can be bought in person or online at . Note that the first available online ticket is at 2pm, after the rush hours.
Price: For non-Moroccan citizens/residents, entrance is 70 dirhams. Note that the combined ticket to the museums does not include a reduction in price.
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