The Jamea El Fnaa Square is the vibrant heart of the city of Marrakech, and it has always been the meeting point between the Medina and people coming from the surrounding areas. This square occupies a strategic position in relation to all the neighborhoods of the city. The history of the square is linked to the history of Marrakech, and it has had several names over the centuries. It has shrunk but not disappeared due to urban evolution between the 11th and 16th centuries.

The name of Jamea El Fnaa only appears in historical texts from the 16th century when they spoke of a mosque that was supposed to be called Jemaa El Hna (mosque of serenity) that fell into ruin while a plague was raging in the country. Popular humor transformed the name of the Mosque of Serenity into the Mosque of Annihilation.

In the 16th century, Jemaa El Fnaa Square housed the customs service for European Christian merchants, so it played the role of a commercial and exchange center between Europe and Africa. It was only in the 17th century that the animation on the square began.

During the 19th century, the square was reserved for animal parks and horse races on festive occasions. It was also a gathering place for the army and a space where rebels were executed.

The current aspect of the square dates back to the beginning of the 20th century with the construction of the post office buildings, the Bank of Morocco, and administrative establishments.

Jamea El Fnaa Square is the product of an ancestral cultural tradition of the Moroccan people, a unique testimony of a living cultural tradition. It represents a diverse repertoire of oral and intangible heritage that appeals to everyone’s taste and is also a collective memory of the Marrakechis, still retaining memories of popular artists who animated the square for many years.