Attraction
Jardin Majorelle
Jacques Majorelle's cobalt-blue villa and cactus garden, later owned by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, with a museum of Amazigh culture inside the villa.
El Badi Palace
The vast ruined palace of the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, built between 1578 and 1593 and later stripped of its materials, with a giant central pool.
At a glance
- Type
- Palace ruins
- Area
- Kasbah, Marrakech, Morocco
Good to know
- Ramparts walk
- Sunken gardens
- Koutoubia minbar display
Why we recommend it
El Badi, whose name is usually translated as the incomparable, was commissioned by the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur shortly after he came to power. According to the historian al-Ifrani, work began in December 1578 and was completed in 1593, and al-Mansur kept embellishing it until about 1602. It was a ceremonial palace intended to impress foreign envoys, decorated with marble and gilding.
Its glory did not last. After al-Mansur's death the palace declined, and the Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismail had it stripped in the early 18th century, with materials reused in his new capital at Meknes. What remains is the shell: massive earthen walls, the outlines of pavilions and a vast central courtyard dominated by a pool roughly 90 metres long, flanked by four sunken gardens planted with orange trees.
The sheer scale is the main attraction, and it is best appreciated from the upper walls, which you can climb for views over the Kasbah and the Mellah towards the Atlas Mountains. Storks often nest on the ramparts. Do not miss the pavilion that displays the 12th-century Almoravid minbar from the Koutoubia Mosque, a carved and inlaid wooden pulpit of exceptional quality that many visitors walk past. Underground passages and former storerooms can also be explored in parts.
Allow around an hour. The site is open to the sky with little shade, so in summer go early or late in the day, wear a hat and carry water. The ground is uneven and the climb to the walls involves stairs, so it is less suited to visitors with limited mobility, although children usually enjoy the space to roam.
El Badi lies on the Kasbah's eastern side at Place des Ferblantiers, about fifteen minutes' walk south of Jemaa el-Fnaa. The Saadian Tombs are a short walk west, while the Mellah and the Bahia Palace are just to the north and east, making it easy to see all four in a single day. A number of rooftop cafés around Place des Ferblantiers overlook the walls and their nesting storks, which makes a good spot for a drink afterwards. Kosybar is one of them, and it is a popular place to watch the sun set over the Kasbah.
El Badi Palace FAQs
When was El Badi Palace built?
Construction began in 1578 under Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and was completed in 1593.
Why is it in ruins?
Sultan Moulay Ismail had it stripped in the early 18th century and its materials reused in Meknes.
What is the minbar on display?
It is the carved wooden pulpit made for the Koutoubia Mosque in the 12th century, shown in a pavilion inside the palace.
Can you walk on the walls?
Yes. Stairs lead up to the walls for views over the Kasbah, the Mellah and the Atlas.
How long should you allow?
Around an hour, including time on the walls and in the minbar pavilion.
Is there shade?
Very little, so avoid the middle of a hot day and bring water.
What is nearby?
The Saadian Tombs, the Mellah and the Bahia Palace are all within walking distance.