Marrakech·Royal necropolis of the Saadian dynasty (1557–1603); eastern mausoleum begun under Moulay Abdallah al-Ghalib
16th-century royal necropolis with the Hall of Twelve Columns
1 / 3
Rediscovered in 1917 by Morocco's Service of Fine Arts, Antiquities and Historic Monuments
Centrepiece: Chamber of the Twelve Columns, mausoleum of Ahmad al-Mansur, in Italian Carrara marble
Around 56 marble mqabriya tombstones plus ~100 tile-marked graves
The Saadian Tombs are the royal necropolis of the Saadian dynasty, built in stages from 1557 onwards and finished under Ahmad al-Mansur (r. 1578–1603). Sealed off and forgotten after the dynasty fell, they were rediscovered in 1917 and now display 56 marble-carved mqabriya tombstones across three chambers, including the celebrated Hall of Twelve Columns.
Why visit
The Saadian Tombs are the most refined surviving Saadian-era interior in Marrakech. Where El Badi is now a stripped shell, the necropolis kept its marble, cedar and stucco intact thanks to being walled in for nearly three centuries, and remains the best place to see late-16th-century Moroccan craft at its peak.
What to expect
A small walled garden of citrus and rosemary opening onto three burial chambers: the eastern mausoleum of al-Ghalib, a small prayer-room (Chamber of the Mihrab) and the central Hall of Twelve Columns. Visitors look into each chamber from a doorway rather than walking through.
Best time
First thing in the morning or the last hour before closing. The single narrow passage to the Hall of Twelve Columns creates a queue from late morning onwards, and afternoon light is harshest in the open courtyards.
Price range
Ticketed monument managed by the Ministry of Culture: 100 MAD for a foreign adult and 50 MAD for a foreign child aged 7 to 13.
Moroccan citizens and residents pay 30 MAD for an adult and 10 MAD for a child aged 7 to 13.
Moroccans enter free every Friday and on the first days of national and religious holidays. Visiting hours are 9:00 to 17:00.
Practical tips
Combine with El Badi Palace and the Kasbah Mosque — they are within a 5-minute walk in the southern medina. Dress modestly. Photography is allowed without flash; the chambers are dim, so a wider aperture or steady hands matter more than a tripod, which is generally not permitted.
In 1917, by Morocco's Service of Fine Arts, Antiquities and Historic Monuments. After the fall of the Saadian dynasty in the early 17th century the necropolis was walled off and largely forgotten until aerial photography led to its re-identification.
The Chamber of the Twelve Columns is the central mausoleum of the necropolis and houses the tomb of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, Morocco's most powerful Saadian ruler. Twelve Carrara marble columns support a cedar muqarnas dome above richly sculpted stucco walls.
Members of the Saadian royal family from the late 16th and early 17th centuries, including Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur and his successors. The site contains around 56 marble mqabriya tombstones and roughly 100 additional graves marked with multicoloured tilework.
Around 30 to 45 minutes. The complex is small and the queue to look into the Hall of Twelve Columns can be slower than the visit itself, so come at opening time or in the last hour before closing.
