Morocco Day 18: Marrakesh
In the medina we found the Bahia Palace. It was built in stages between 1867 and 1900 by Si Moussa, Grand Vizier (chief minister) of Sultan Hassan I. and his son Ba Ahmed ( the next Grand Vizier), the latter naming it for his wife (or wives). Bahia means brilliance or beautiful in Arabic, thus the "Palace of the Beautiful".
The Bahia Palace covers about 20 acres of courtyards, rooms, and gardens. The palace is surrounded by lush riyadh-style gardens, filled with cypress, jasmine, banana trees, orange trees, and fountains.
It was designed as a private oasis for relaxation, symbolizing paradise on earth in Islamic culture. The palace was used for several scenes in the movies, "Lawrence of Arabia", and "the Man Who Knew Too Much".
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