Historic Villa Luciene in Marrakech Demolished Amid Preservation Controversy

The cries and calls of the heritage defenders of the city of Marrakech were to no avail. On Saturday, the bulldozers demolished the famous Villa Luciene, dating from 1900, in the process of being registered as a national monument with the Ministry of Culture. This historic building was the subject of a legal dispute between the Marrakech municipality and the property owner, we learn. According to sources, the new owner of the property took advantage of the weekend and the fact that Moroccans are preparing for the month of Ramadan to not inform the urban planning department of the municipal council of the court decision, thus preventing the possibility of an appeal or a challenge before the Court of Cassation.

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The owner of the property did not inform the urban agency, responsible for urban planning, of this operation. Nor did he wait for the cassation procedure before proceeding with the destruction of Villa Lucien, without coordination with the local authorities concerned. "This sudden demolition raises questions about the credibility of the authorities responsible for heritage preservation, especially since a study is underway by a specialized firm to inventory the historic buildings of Marrakech dating from the 20th century," local public sector observers in Marrakech pointed out, adding that there is a major lack of coordination between the judicial authorities and the local authorities.

The municipal council had planned to transform Villa Luciene into a tourist museum in order to attract visitors and strengthen local tourism, but the property owner cut the grass under their feet.