Koutoubia Mosque & Medersa Ben Youssef

Koutoubia Mosque

The 77-meter-high minaret of the Koutoubia is Marrakech's landmark — visible from almost everywhere in the city and the model for the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. The mosque was built in the 12th century under the Almohads and is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the mosque — but the view from outside, especially at sunset when the minaret glows golden and the call of the muezzin echoes over the city, is unforgettable.

Medersa Ben Youssef

The largest Quranic school in Morocco (16th century) and one of the most beautiful buildings in North Africa: a courtyard with a marble basin, surrounded by two floors with 130 student cells. The decoration — Zellige mosaics, stucco ornaments, carved cedar wood — is of a perfection that leaves one speechless. The Medersa was extensively restored and reopened in 2022.