Marrakech, Morocco
Mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco
The Koutoubia is the largest mosque in Marrakech and the city's emblem, standing in the south-west medina a few steps from Jemaa el-Fnaa, surrounded by large gardens. Its name comes from the booksellers (kutubiyyin) whose stalls once ringed it. The Almohad caliph Abd al-Mu'min built a first mosque in 1147 on the ruins of an Almoravid palace right after taking the city, then the present mosque beside it around 1158; the minaret was probably finished by Ya'qub al-Mansur around 1195. The minaret rises about 77 metres, each of its four faces decorated with a different pattern of interlaced arches and topped by a small lantern and metal orbs. It inspired the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat, built in the same era. Its upper part was damaged in the 2023 Al Haouz earthquake and has since been restored. Next to the mosque you can see the excavated foundations of the first mosque, and its original minbar, a masterpiece of carved wood, is displayed at the El Badi Palace.
The prayer hall is for Muslim worshippers, as in most Moroccan mosques, but everyone can walk the surrounding gardens and see the remains of the first mosque. Those going in to pray should dress modestly; women have their own section. The minaret looks best at sunset from the Koutoubia gardens, and again when floodlit at night.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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AttractionMarrakech, Morocco
