Famous Buildings in Morocco: Mosques, Palaces & Medinas

Architectural Icons of Morocco

Casablanca

• Hassan II Mosque: 2nd largest in Africa (25,000); retractable roof; laser to Mecca; oceanfront (1993).
• Mahkama du Pacha: Moorish-Andalusian courthouse; cedar, stucco, zellige.

Marrakesh

• Koutoubia Mosque: 12th c. Almohad minaret (77m) — model for Giralda (Seville) & Hassan Tower (Rabat).
• Jemaa el-Fnaa: UNESCO Intangible Heritage square — storytellers, musicians, food stalls, snake charmers.
• Bahia Palace: Late 19th c. vizier's palace; 150 rooms, zellige, carved cedar, courtyards.
• El Badi Palace: Saadian (1578–1603); ruins of vast palace — storks nest in walls.
• Saadian Tombs: 16th c. mausoleums; Carrara marble, gold leaf, rediscovered 1917.
• Ben Youssef Madrasa: 14th c. Quranic school; stunning courtyard, student cells.
• Bab Agnaou: 12th c. gate; Andalusian carvings; Kasbah entrance.

Fez

• Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque/University: 859 CE — **world's oldest continuously operating degree-granting university**.
• Bou Inania Madrasa: 1350s; Marinid masterpiece; green roof, brass doors.
• Chouara Tannery: Medieval leather vats; iconic view from terraces.
• Bab Bou Jeloud: Blue gate (1913) — entrance to Fes el-Bali.

Rabat

• Hassan Tower: Unfinished 12th c. minaret (44m) — intended world's largest.
• Mohammed V Mausoleum: Alaouite dynasty; white marble, green tiles.
• Kasbah of the Udayas: 12th c. fortress; blue-white alleys, Atlantic views.
• Chellah: Roman (Sala Colonia) → Merinid necropolis; storks, ruins, gardens.

Elsewhere

• Volubilis: Roman ruins (UNESCO) — mosaics, basilica, triumphal arch.
• Aït Benhaddou: Fortified ksar (UNESCO) — film location (Gladiator, GoT).
• Essaouira Ramparts: Portuguese fortifications; windswept medina.