Mosque & madrasa · Koutoubia
Koutoubia Mosque
The 12th-century minaret that guides you home: the city’s landmark, seen from almost everywhere.
- Opening hours
- Always open
- Ticket
- Free
- Time needed
- 20 min
- Best time
- Late afternoon
- Jemaa el-Fna
- 10 min on foot
Why go
Built under the Almohads, the 77-metre minaret served as the model for the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat. Its name comes from the booksellers who once traded at its foot.
Non-Muslims cannot enter the mosque, but the outside is the point: the minaret, the ruins of the first mosque beside it and the gardens around it. Five minutes from Jemaa el-Fna, it is also the easiest way to find your bearings.
Tips
- Only Muslims may enter the prayer hall; the exterior and gardens are open to all.
- Lit up after dark, it is at its best on the walk back from dinner.
- Photo tip: From the rose garden on the south side in late-afternoon light, or framed by palms from Avenue Mohammed V.
Practical
Koutoubia, Medina, Marrakech
10 min on foot from Jemaa el-Fna
Always open
Free
Loading the map…
Tickets & tours
Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links: if you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Nearby
-
Koutoubia Gardens
Palms, roses and shaded benches around the minaret: the green break between Jemaa el-Fna and the Kasbah.
-
Cyber Parc
An 18th-century royal orchard turned public park, between the Medina walls and Avenue Mohammed V.
-
Ensemble Artisanal
The state-run crafts centre near the Koutoubia: fixed prices, makers at work, no bargaining.
-
La Mamounia Spa
The legendary hotel’s spa, open to non-guests: hammams, an indoor pool and treatments in a palace setting.
Stay nearby
-
Les Jardins de La Koutoubia
A five-star hotel two minutes from Jemaa el-Fna, with a palm-lined pool, a spa and a rooftop bar.
-
Riad Joya
An elegant, design-led riad in Mouassine, 300 metres from Jemaa el-Fna.
-
El Fenn
The Medina’s most stylish riad, five minutes from Jemaa el-Fna, with a serious art collection.
-
Riad Palais Sebban
A 19th-century palace of Moroccan and Andalusian style, five minutes from the Koutoubia.
Marrakist Concierge