The doors of Marrakech

The Marrakech Medina is, in many respects, a forbidden city. The warren of its narrow residential alleyways are flanked by the blank anonymous walls of riads and their heavy studded front doors that conceal homes from view.

There is an austerity to the alleys here, as riads seldom have any decoration on their street frontage. They are lined by a seemingly unending succession of muted walls interspersed with entrances and doorways.

Except for the decoration afforded to the front entrance of a riad, nothing of its splendour and allure is discernible from the outside. There is therefore a striking contrast between the stark architecture of the alleys and the internal exuberance of Medina homes.

The entrance of a riad is considered the threshold of a house and looked at quite differently from the deliberately anonymous exterior.

Symbolically, it is a statement as well as an expression of authority and affirmation of the identity of an owner. It very much reflects, and perhaps even completes the architecture of the house enclosed by and hidden behind the front door.

It is easy to understand the Moroccan fascination with riad entrances. There is something undoubtedly special about them. Their variety and ornamentation is extra-ordinary.

Interestingly every aspect of a riad has meaning and relevance, and is an expression of a refined ancient Islamic culture.

The front entrance is no exception. It is one of the most important parts of a riad. It separates the world outside from the sanctity of the home. It is a primary protective barrier on several levels and is meant to ensure the privacy of the domestic household.

Then coupled with the front entrance is the entrance hall, which provides a second protective barrier. Without exception entrance halls are centred upon an angled configuration that allow the family’s privacy to be respected.

There will never be any direct line of sight from the entrance into either the courtyard, or inner sanctum of the home, so an owner can receive visitors in the entrance hall without disturbing the private life of the house and, in particular, its women.

This angled disposition allows the entrance to act as a discrete but efficient filter between public life in the street and the domestic life of the residence.

Moroccans are generally pretty superstitious and the protection afforded by a front door isn’t just limited to the material.

Historically amulets surrounded front doors, or were embedded in the lintel. In this way, families sought to avert misfortune, ward off malevolence, or discourage unwelcome visitors like snakes and scorpions while at the same time to encourage wealth and fertility into their home.

Talismans were also common. These ranged from religious iconography on front doors, to engraved motifs. The most common evidence of this nowadays is in decorative forms such as door knockers like the hand of Fatima.

Perhaps the most auspicious and highest form of protection though was the use of sacred verses from the Koran. These were inscribed above the front entrance for a visitor to pass underneath and would transpose an eminently worthy virtue befitting the owner’s life.

Although less frequent now, particularly with the foreigners who have bought up riads, these practices are still very much in use.

The entrance hall is where visitors are received and it is considered necessary in Moroccan culture to present to them only the very best of oneself and ones family as a sign of respect. As the adage goes, to a Moroccan, a guest is a gift from God.

The quality of the front door and entrance is therefore terribly important.

Front doors are crafted beautifully by carpenters employing age-old techniques that ingeniously manage to fit a door together with its frame without any need of nails.

They are created from locally sourced high grade woods such as walnut, cedar and almond that are both durable and tender, so are suitable for delicate decorative carving, particularly on the lintel and door frame.

Then engraved and ornamental hinges and knockers are affixed, along with patterned studs, and it is not uncommon for this aesthetic to be complimented, on grand homes, with decorative porches and hand carved stucco borders.

It is fascinating to think every front entrance in the Medina is both different and unique. For those interested in learning more, the book entitled Portes Du Sud Marocain by Salima Naji is well worth a read.