Saadian Dynasty in Marrakesh

henever we travel to a country or place we’ve never been to, I find it essential to put the country in context. Meaning where does it appear in history, how old is it, what happened in this specific country, which wars marred the country, what sadness hides beneath the façade. I find it helps to connect to a country if you know a bit of its history.

With our recent travels to Morocco we not only visited the well-known and talked about markets or souks, travelled into the Atlas mountains, but we also visited some of the older historic palaces and ruins.

El Badi Palace

One of them is the El Badi Palace. Although most of it is only ruins, it helps to paint a picture in your mind of what the splendour looked like. With the recent earthquake in September 2023 walls and parts of the old city as well as more of the historic places were damaged and we could still see the scaffolding holding parts together.

Some of the ruins of the El Badi Palace where you can still see the colourful tiles.

The Badi Palace was built by the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty, the most famous of the Saadian dynasty, starting in 1578, some months after his rise to power. Construction and decoration continued throughout his reign. Although it is currently mostly ruins, it is said that the palace had over 300 rooms decorated in beautiful materials like gold, marble, crystal and more. It was used for festivals and state occasions when the Sultan would entertain foreign ambassadors and the elite in the Kingdom. The complex was constructed around an enormous courtyard with a pool in the centre, showcasing the Sultan’s wealth and power.  The general plan of the palace was inspired by the Alhambra Palace in Granada, and you can see how.

But when the Sultan died the palace fell into disrepair, also with the decline of the Saadian dynasty. Some of the valuable materials, particularly the marble, were stripped away and reused in other buildings throughout Morocco.

Today it is a meaningful tourist attraction in Marrakesh and also serves as an exhibition space.

Saadian Tombs

Also built by the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, the most famous Sultan of the Saadian dynasty, are the Saadian tombs in Marrakesh.  The Moorish style is very pronounced in this build. The tombs were designed again to be a lavish display of the Saadian’s power and wealth.  The tombs are located in the Kasbah Mosque, built in 1557, and one of the oldest mosques in Morocco.

Built by the Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur are the Saadian tombs in Marrakesh.

Conclusion

It was interesting that although the Saadian Tombs were restored in 1917 and you could really see the beauty and splendour with the tiles and unique architecture,  the El Badi Palace definitely had more atmosphere and character that made it real in my mind. I could envisage the Palace surrounding the big courtyard with it’s pool in the middle and then all the beautiful rooms for the Sultan’s esteemed guests on the side.

All in all a country I would go back to in a heart beat…

Slán