Medersa Ben Youssef & Jardin Secret★★
The Medersa Ben Youssef was once the largest Quranic school in North Africa and is now one of the most magnificent historical buildings in Marrakech. Built in the 14th century and extensively renovated in the 16th century under the Saadians, it housed up to 900 students in 130 small cells arranged around a central courtyard with a marble basin.
Architecture
The courtyard is a masterpiece: walls covered with zellij mosaics (geometric tile patterns), above them the finest stucco ornaments with arabesques and Quranic verses, and at the top carved cedarwood beams. The student cells (tiny, bare, without windows) offer a stark contrast to the splendor of the courtyard — a vivid image of the life of a medieval Quran student.
Le Jardin Secret
Just a few steps away is Le Jardin Secret — a restored riad garden from the 16th century, reopened in 2016 after decades of restoration. Two gardens (an exotic and an Islamic garden) with a historical irrigation system (Khettara) that still works. The tower offers one of the most beautiful panoramic views over the Medina (40 MAD extra) — Koutoubia, Atlas Mountains, rooftop landscape of the souks.
💡 Tipp
Combine Medersa Ben Youssef and Le Jardin Secret for a morning — they are only 200 meters apart. Start with the Medersa (opens at 9:00 AM), then continue to Jardin Secret. By 11:00 AM, you'll be done and can lose yourself in the northern souks.
