Marrakech

Marrakech, or Marrakesh (pop. 332,700), city of southwestern Morocco, near the Atlas Mtns. Founded in 1062, Marrakech was the capital of the Berber Empire and a center of commerce and culture in the 15th century. It was captured by the French in 1912. Marrakech is a popular tourist attraction for its fine examples of Islamic architecture and its outdoor markets (souks). It is also a food-processing and leather manufacturing center.

See also: Morocco.