Marrakech travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Marrakech.
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1
Almoravid leader Abu Bakr ibn Umar founds Marrakech as a base for consolidating the Sahara-to-Iberia empire
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2
Yusuf ibn Tashfin expands the Almoravid empire and develops Marrakech into its capital
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3
Almohad forces conquer Marrakech, ending Almoravid rule
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4
Almohads construct the Koutoubia Mosque and its 77-meter minaret
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5
Almohad empire fragments; political capital shifts toward Fez under the Marinids
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6
Saadian dynasty makes Marrakech its capital, beginning a period of renewed prosperity
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7
Reign of Ahmad al-Mansur; El Badi Palace built on wealth from the 1591 conquest of the Songhai Empire
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8
Alaouite dynasty, still ruling Morocco today, consolidates power
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9
Treaty of Fez establishes the French Protectorate over Morocco; Marrakech placed under French administration
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10
Thami El Glaoui rules the Marrakech region as Pasha; the Guéliz Ville Nouvelle is built outside the medina
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11
Morocco achieves independence under Sultan Mohammed V; French Protectorate ends
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12
UNESCO inscribes the Medina of Marrakech as a World Heritage Site
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13
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes the High Atlas region, damaging parts of the historic medina; restoration continues
Historical sites
Places where Marrakech's past comes alive.
Koutoubia Mosque
Where: Western edge of the medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: Free (exterior only) | Child: Free
Bahia Palace
Where: Riad Zitoun el Jedid, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 100 MAD (~$10.75) | Child: 50 MAD (~$5.35) (ages 7–13); free under 7
Saadian Tombs
Where: Kasbah district, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 70 MAD (~$7.50) | Child: Free under 12
El Badi Palace
Where: Kasbah district, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 70 MAD (~$7.50) | Child: 20 MAD (~$2.15) (ages 7–13)
Ben Youssef Madrasa
Where: Place Ben Youssef, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 50 MAD (~$5.35) | Child: 10 MAD (~$1.10) (under 12)
Marrakech Museum (Dar Menebhi)
Where: Place Ben Youssef, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 70 MAD (~$7.50) | Child: 30 MAD (~$3.20) combined ticket with Almoravid Koubba
Almoravid Koubba
Where: Place de la Kissaria, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 20 MAD (~$2.15) | Child: 10 MAD (~$1.10)
Dar Si Said (National Museum of Weaving and Carpets)
Where: Riad Zitoun el Jedid, Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: 30 MAD (~$3.20) | Child: 10 MAD (~$1.10) (under 12)
The Mellah (Jewish Quarter) & Slat al-Azama Synagogue
Where: Southeast Medina, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: Free (synagogue visit is donation-based) | Child: Free
Marrakech Ramparts & Bab Agnaou
Where: Kasbah district, Marrakech
Admission: Adult: Free | Child: Free
Museums
Curated collections that tell Marrakech's story.