Koutoubia Mosque: minaret, gardens and visiting rules

Updated on October 1, 2026

The Koutoubia is the great mosque of Marrakech, and its 77-metre minaret serves as a landmark throughout the medina, 5 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna square. It was founded by the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mumin, who had a first mosque built in 1147 and then a second, today's mosque, from 1158; the minaret was probably completed under Yaqub al-Mansur, around 1195. Its name comes from the booksellers (kutubiyyin) who kept shops nearby. The mosque is an active place of worship: only Muslims may enter the prayer hall. Non-Muslim visitors discover the building from the outside, from the esplanade, the remains of the first mosque and the surrounding gardens. Damaged by the September 2023 earthquake, the mosque reopened for worship in March 2024 after repairs.

Highlights

The Almohad minaret

The square stone tower bears a different decoration of polylobed arches and interlacing on each face, topped by a ceramic frieze and a lantern crowned with metal balls. This minaret is often compared to the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat, built in the same period by the Almohads.

The remains of the first mosque

On the esplanade, on the north-west side of the current mosque, excavations have uncovered the foundations of the first Koutoubia, including the outline of the qibla wall and the mihrab. According to the most common explanation, it was replaced because its orientation towards Mecca was considered imperfect; historians still debate the point.

The Koutoubia gardens

Gardens of palms, orange trees and roses border the mosque, with free access. Paths and benches let you see the minaret from every angle, and the monument is lit up in the evening.

The koubba of Lalla Zohra

Near the mosque, a small white domed mausoleum holds the tomb of Lalla Zohra, a female mystic who died in the early 17th century and around whom many legends circulate.

Infos pratiques

Tips

The outside visit, the esplanade and the gardens are free (prices checked in October 2026); do not step through the doors of the prayer hall if you are not Muslim. Wear clothing covering shoulders and knees and avoid photographing worshippers at prayer times, especially on Fridays at midday. The mosque's Almohad minbar, made in Cordoba in the 12th century, is now on display at the El Badi Palace.

How to get there

Avenue Mohammed V, Marrakech medina, about 5 minutes' walk west of Jemaa el-Fna square. Several city bus lines (Supratours network), including line 19 from Marrakech-Menara airport, serve the area around Jemaa el-Fna square; petits taxis can drop you in front of the gardens.