Mosques and Places of Worship in Marrakech: What You Can Visit

The rule: mosques are reserved for Muslims

In Morocco, entry to working mosques is reserved for Muslims. The practice dates back to the French protectorate and was kept after independence. In Marrakech there is no exception: neither the Koutoubia, nor the Kasbah Mosque, nor any neighbourhood mosque admits non-Muslim visitors, even with a guide. Do not step through a mosque door, even one left ajar, and be wary of anyone offering to take you inside "as a special favour".

The great national exception is the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, which can be seen on a guided tour of about an hour outside prayer times; tickets cost 140 DH for a foreign adult. It is an easy day trip by train: see our page Casablanca from Marrakech. The Almohad mosque of Tinmel in the High Atlas, long open to visitors, was largely destroyed by the September 2023 earthquake and remains closed while it is rebuilt.

On the other hand, former religious buildings that are no longer used for worship, such as madrasas, some mausoleums and the Almoravid Koubba, have become monuments and can be visited with a ticket.

Mosques to admire from the outside

Even without going in, you can appreciate the architecture of the great mosques from the street: decorated minarets, monumental doorways and public fountains set into their walls.

The Koutoubia

Its 77-metre Almohad minaret is the landmark of the whole city. The esplanade, the remains of the first mosque and the surrounding gardens are free to enter; our Koutoubia Mosque page covers its history and the best times to see it.

The Kasbah Mosque

Also known as the Moulay el-Yazid Mosque, it was built between 1185 and 1190 by the Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur for the new imperial district of the Kasbah. Its minaret, covered in a lattice of brick interlacing on a green ceramic background, became a model for many minarets across the Maghreb. You get a good view of it from the square in front of the mosque, on the way to the Saadian Tombs, which stand right against its side.

The Ben Youssef Mosque

North of the souks, it is the successor of the great mosque founded by the Almoravids in the 11th century and rebuilt on a grand scale around 1120-1132. The present building, rebuilt in the early 19th century under the Alaouite sultan Moulay Slimane, is easy to spot thanks to its minaret of around 40 metres and its green-tiled roofs. It is closed to non-Muslims, but the madrasa and the Almoravid Koubba, once attached to it, can be visited right next door.

Mouassine and Bab Doukkala

These two 16th-century Saadian mosques were the centrepieces of large complexes that included a madrasa, a hammam, a library and a public fountain. The Bab Doukkala Mosque, begun in 1557-1558, was founded by Lalla Messaouda, mother of Sultan Ahmed al-Mansur. The Mouassine Mosque, built between 1562 and 1573 under Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib, has a surprisingly short minaret. Their fountains, especially the Mouassine one with its carved cedar lintels, can be admired freely from the street. Combine this walk with a visit to the Mouassine Museum to explore the neighbourhood.

Religious monuments you can visit

Several of the finest monuments in Marrakech have a religious origin and are open to everyone with a ticket.

Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Almoravid Koubba

The city's former Koranic school, the Ben Youssef Madrasa, is the best way to see the decorative art of a religious building up close: a marble courtyard, zellige tilework, carved stucco and a prayer hall with its mihrab. Two minutes' walk away, the Almoravid Koubba, a 12th-century ablutions pavilion, is the only Almoravid building in the city to survive almost intact. Both fit easily into the same morning.

The Saadian Tombs

The necropolis of the Saadian dynasty, the Saadian Tombs showcase 16th-century royal funerary art around the Hall of Twelve Columns, where Ahmed al-Mansur lies. You view the mausoleums from the threshold without going in. The Koutoubia's Almohad minbar, a masterpiece of carved wood, is on display at the El Badi Palace.

Zawiyas and the seven saints

A zawiya is the sanctuary of a Sufi brotherhood, often built around the tomb of a saint. Marrakech is known as the city of the "seven saints": a pilgrimage links the tombs of Sidi Youssef ben Ali, Qadi Ayyad, Sidi Bel Abbès, Sidi Ben Slimane al-Jazouli, Sidi Abdelaziz Tabbaa, Sidi Abdallah al-Ghazouani and Imam Souhaili. It is said to have been organised in the late 17th century, under Sultan Moulay Ismail.

These shrines remain places of worship: the tomb chambers are reserved for Muslims. The most important, the Zawiya of Sidi Bel Abbès, in the north of the medina near Bab Taghzout, is a partial exception: visitors may pass through the entrance arch and walk around the courtyard, which offers views of the mausoleum doorway, the minaret and the monumental fountain, but the sanctuary itself is reserved for Muslims. The tombs of the other seven saints can only be seen from the outside.

Jewish heritage in the Mellah

Marrakech once had one of the largest Jewish communities in Morocco. The former Jewish quarter, the Mellah, still has two sites open to visitors; our Kasbah and Mellah walk links them on foot.

The Lazama Synagogue

The Lazama Synagogue, or Slat al-Azama, on Rue Talmoud Torah, is the best known in the city; tradition dates its founding to 1492. Still in use for worship, it is also set up for visitors, with a zellige-tiled courtyard and a room on the history of the Jews of Morocco. It is closed on Saturdays and on Jewish holidays. A small contribution of around 10 DH is requested at the entrance. Another small synagogue in the quarter, the Neguidim Synagogue, is sometimes open to visitors for a voluntary donation; the other prayer rooms of the Mellah cannot be visited.

The Miâara Cemetery

East of the quarter, the Miâara Jewish Cemetery is the largest Jewish cemetery in Morocco, with more than 20,000 whitewashed tombs and the mausoleums of revered rabbis. Unlike most Muslim cemeteries, it is open to visitors. It is closed on Saturdays and closes earlier on Fridays; the caretaker asks for an entrance fee in cash, and men must cover their heads.

Christian sites in Guéliz

The Christian presence in Marrakech dates mainly from the protectorate. Its two main sites are in the new town, described in our Guéliz and Hivernage guide.

The Church of the Holy Martyrs

The Church of the Holy Martyrs, on Rue de l'Imam Ali, was built from 1928 onwards. It is dedicated to five Franciscans sent by Saint Francis of Assisi and martyred in Marrakech in 1220. The only Catholic church in the region, it belongs to the Archdiocese of Rabat and is served by Franciscans. You can step inside outside service times, in silence. Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 10.30am in French and at 12.30pm in English, on Saturdays at 6.30pm and on weekdays at 7pm; Christmas and Easter Masses draw large crowds.

The European Cemetery

On Rue Erraouda, the European (or Christian) Cemetery holds graves from the protectorate era and a military plot of 374 graves of soldiers who died for France, where a ceremony is held every 11 November. It is open from 8am to 6pm from October to March and from 7am to 7pm from April to September; bicycles and motorbikes are not allowed.

Etiquette around places of worship

A few simple rules help avoid misunderstandings:

• Dress: shoulders and knees covered at all religious sites, including the synagogue, the church and the cemeteries. Our guide what to wear in Marrakech has the details.
• The call to prayer: it rings out five times a day from the minarets, from dawn until night. It places no obligation on you, but avoid standing in front of a mosque entrance just as worshippers are arriving.
• Fridays: the main midday prayer fills the mosques and sometimes the nearby streets, where worshippers pray on mats. Go around these streets rather than through them.
• Photos: photographing minarets and façades is fine; photographing people at prayer, those asking for alms at shrine entrances, or a mosque interior through an open door is frowned upon.
• Ramadan: mosques are very busy in the evenings and many monuments change their opening hours. See our guide to Ramadan in Marrakech.
• Fake guides: near the mosques and the synagogue, ignore anyone claiming that a site is closed in order to take you elsewhere. For a guided visit, hire an official guide: see our article on guided tours in Marrakech.

Summary table

Prices observed in October 2026, for guidance only.

Further reading

To place these sites in the old city, start with our Marrakech medina guide, then follow the Kasbah and Mellah walk to take in the Saadian Tombs, the Mellah and the synagogue in one go. If you are travelling during the holy month, read our guide to Ramadan in Marrakech; for what to pack, see what to wear in Marrakech.