Tombeaux Saadiens

North of the Almohad Kasbah of Marrakech, the Saadian Tombs form a remarkable funerary complex, discovered in 1917 by the Service of Fine Arts and Monuments. Its core was established in 1557 by Sultan Abdullah al-Ghalib to house the tomb of his father Muhammad al-Shaykh, founder of the dynasty. Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur buried his mother Lalla Messaouda there in 1591, had the complex enlarged and embellished, and is himself buried there. The necropolis also holds the tomb of the Alaouite sultan Moulay Al Yazid, who died in 1792. The complex has two sections: the Mihrab Hall, the Hall of the Twelve Columns and the Hall of the Three Niches, then the Koubba Lalla Messaouda. Its pyramid-shaped tombs, decorated with marble or zellige, reflect Marinid and Andalusian influences.

Book your e-ticket (electronic ticket) online: you pay the Ministry of Culture's official price plus a €1.99 service fee, and you receive your ticket and your digital guide by email, usually within 3 hours. The digital guide, included with every ticket, offers an illustrated visit guide, a narrative account and an audio reading of 10 points of interest, in five languages. The site is very popular: book in advance, then explore the mausoleums at your own pace, straight from your phone.

The Saadian Tombs are often visited together with nearby El Badi Palace: the skip-the-line pass for 2, 3 or 4 monuments brings your tickets and audio guides together, with no visit date and valid for 12 months.

Good to know: restoration works are under way in several monuments in Marrakech. Some parts of the tombs may be temporarily closed to the public or rearranged; the official ticket office does not list the accessible areas, so check before your visit.