Ben Youssef Mosque in Marrakech: history, exterior and what you can see without going in
The Ben Youssef Mosque, north of the medina souks, is one of the oldest mosques in Marrakech. Founded around 1071 by the Almoravid emir Youssef ben Tachfine, it was enlarged and rebuilt by his son Ali ben Youssef between 1120 and 1132. The present building dates from the reconstruction carried out under the Alaouite sultan Moulay Slimane, completed in 1819-1820; it is a square of about 64 m per side, topped by a minaret around 40 m high. It is a working place of worship and is closed to non-Muslims: the prayer hall cannot be visited. But the minaret, the facades and the surrounding alleys can be seen freely, and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the former Koranic school built next to the mosque, can be visited with a ticket.
Highlights
The minaret and the green-tiled roofs
From the square and the alleys around it, you can pick out the square minaret that dominates the neighbourhood, at the south-west corner of the building, and the green-tiled roof of the prayer hall. It is the best angle for grasping the size of the building without entering it.
A thousand years of history in a few lines
The Almoravid mosque was the great mosque of the young city. Abandoned or demolished after the Almohad conquest of 1147, it regained its importance under the Saadians, who built the madrasa beside it in the 16th century. It fell into ruin in the 17th and 18th centuries and was entirely rebuilt under Moulay Slimane.
The neighbourhood around the mosque
The nearby alleys lead to the Almoravid Koubba, the only Almoravid building in the city that has survived almost intact, and to the madrasa. To place it all, see our guide to the north of the medina.
Practical info
Tips
- Looking at the mosque from the outside is free; only Muslims may enter the prayer hall, and you should not cross the doorway even if it is open. Avoid photographing worshippers, especially at midday on Fridays, and wear clothes covering shoulders and knees. Self-appointed guides who offer to "get you inside" or claim a site is closed are usually trying to steer you to a shop: see our advice on scams to avoid in Marrakech. To compare the places of worship open to non-Muslims, see mosques and places of worship in Marrakech.
How to get there
Place Ben Youssef, north of the Marrakech medina, about 15 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna square through the souks. Taxis do not run in the souks: get dropped as close as possible and finish on foot. The Ben Youssef Madrasa is right next door and the Almoravid Koubba is two minutes' walk away.
Opening hours
Nearby
See on the map →
Comments
No comments yet.