Insider tip for Marrakesh
At the gates of the lively city in Morocco, there is a place of tranquility: "ANIMA - Return to Paradise". DW's Volker Witting visited the imaginative garden world created by Austrian multimedia artist André Heller.
Bustling Marrakesch
Marrakesh, a mega-city in Morocco, is above all one thing: lively, noisy, busy. The old town with its labyrinthine alleys and souks (markets) is considered one of the best-preserved and largest in Africa. There, merchants offer traditional clothing, pottery and jewelry. But if it's peace and quiet you seek, you'll have to go somewhere else.
A trip to paradise
So head out into nature! With a shuttle bus it takes about 40 minutes to the subtropical garden ANIMA by André Heller in the Ourika Valley. The multimedia artist bought the property in 2008, and the complex was opened in spring 2016. Until now, it is still an insider tip.
Tropical landscape instead of wasteland
Where a few years ago there was a wasteland, today there is the "animated" garden created by Heller with trees and shrubs, flowering and scented plants. One only hears the sound of the fountains splashing, the twittering of birds — and the voices of the often German-speaking visitors.
An ode to joy
For Heller, the garden project was a long-held wish in which he invested a lot of money. "Heller wants his garden to be a joy and an invitation to discover." Moroccans pay 6 euros ( $6.6 USD) entrance fee, foreigners are charged double. The shuttle bus is included in the price.
A unique masterpiece of nature and art
Ceramic works by Picasso (picture), busts from the Congo, a stylized ark and artworks by Keith Haring make the ANIMA garden a complete work of art. Everything fuses harmoniously into the plant world. An intricate network of paths leads through labyrinthine vegetation.
Like in a fairy tale
At every turn, visitors discover something new like this Berber tent. One feels transported into the fairy tale world of 1001 nights. André Heller can often be found in his garden, because he loves Morocco. He is not the first artist to come here. Yves Saint Laurent also created an extraordinary garden in Marrakesh, the Jardin Majorelle.
A combination of ecology and economy
A lot of green and a lot of work — Heller introduced both to this desert landscape. His garden has become the biggest employer in the village. Heller employs gardeners, security guards and cafe staff. In the cafe you can drink homemade lemonade and enjoy a view of the Atlas Mountains on the horizon.
Without water there is no life
From the mouth of this ceramic monster, adorned with thousands of mosaic tiles, water vapor constantly flows. According to the motto: Without water there is no life. Where would that apply more than in the imaginative world of a botanical-artistic garden situated in a barren landscape?