Jemaa el-Fnaa

[4] One specific explanation endorsed by historians[6][5][7] comes from historical reports that the powerful Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (ruled 1578–1603) had embarked on the construction of a monumental Friday mosque in the middle of the square.

[5] The Almoravid emir Ali ibn Yusuf (ruled 1106–1143) soon afterwards constructed a palace directly south of and adjacent to the Ksar el-Hajjar, on the actual site of the later Kutubiyya Mosque.

[16][9] As the Almohad rulers moved to the new kasbah, the old Almoravid palace and fortress fell out of use and was eventually torn down (in part to make way for the new Kutubiyya Mosque).

[17] Despite the encroachment of new constructions on the edge of the square over time, it never disappeared due to its role as an open market area and as the site of public events.

(It is probably also the site of a modern shop complex, Souk Jdid, just north of the food-stalls today, whose outline has the same compass orientation as the mosques of al-Mansur's time.)

[5][6] On January 24, 1864, a massive explosion took place in the area of the square, reportedly caused by the criminal negligence of certain officials trying to avoid a government inspection.

[6] In 1922 the government (under French administration at the time), passed the first laws aimed at protecting and preserving the square's cultural space and heritage.

[18][19] During the day it is predominantly occupied by orange juice stalls, water sellers with traditional leather water-bags and brass cups, youths with chained macaques and snake charmers despite the protected status of these species under Moroccan law.

The square is edged along one side by the Marrakesh souk, a traditional Maghreb market catering both for the common daily needs of the locals, and for the tourist trade.

[22] The idea of the UNESCO project Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity came from people concerned about the Jamaa el Fna.

The UNESCO label aims to raise awareness about the importance of oral and intangible heritage as an essential component of cultural diversity.

[25] An earthquake with a 6.8 magnitude[26] that struck Morocco in the evening of Friday the 8th of September 2023 highly damaged the Kharbouch Mosque and collapsed its minaret, which overlooked the square.

[27][28] In the days after the earthquake, local residents took to sleeping outside in the square to avoid the potential impact of aftershocks causing more buildings to collapse.