At the center of the palace, this open archaeological court frames a 90-metre reflecting basin and the site’s main circulation. Most visits begin here before branching to the gardens, underground passages, western pavilion ruins, and upper terraces.
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You arrive through a formal gate into an open-air site that is different from every other Marrakech attraction. El Badi is a ruin. The scale is what registers first: a 135-metre courtyard, stripped walls, and the silence of a place that was once called the Eighth Wonder of the World.
The central basin is 90 metres long. It was originally flanked by four reflecting pools, 360 rooms, and a 50-metre pavilion. Sultan Moulay Ismail dismantled all of it between 1696 and 1708, taking the gold, marble, and cedarwood to build his capital at Meknes. The walls standing now are the shell. On a guided tour, this context arrives early; self-guided visitors benefit from reading it before they enter.
The Minbar is displayed in a dedicated pavilion at the palace. Carved in Cordoba in 1137, over 400 years before El Badi was built, from cedarwood, ebony, ivory, and silver, and took eight years to complete. It stood in the Koutoubia Mosque for centuries before being moved here for preservation. Guided tours that include the Koutoubia Mosque on their route give this additional context.
Stairway access to the ramparts gives elevated views across the courtyard and, on clear days between October and April, the Atlas Mountains to the south. The stork nests (January–July) are easiest to photograph from here.
Below the courtyard, a network of vaulted stone corridors and dungeons is walkable throughout. Cool year-round, noticeably so after the open courtyard. Originally used for storage and stabling; later repurposed as prisons.
The self-guided entry ticket includes a souvenir postcard, a physical print of your chosen palace photo, mailed after your visit. It's the only Marrakech monument ticket that ships something home.
| Ticket type | What's included | Guide | Duration | Why pick this | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Online Entry + Postcard | Grand courtyard, sunken gardens, ramparts, underground passages, Koutoubia Minbar pavilion, souvenir postcard (physical print, mailed after visit) | None (self-guided) | 1–1.5 hours | Best if you want to explore at your own pace with a souvenir to take home | US$17 |
Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs, Koutoubia and Souks Guided Tour | Bahia Palace + Saadian Tombs + Koutoubia Mosque + Souks. Monument tickets included (as per option selected). | Live guide, shared group | 1–4 hours | Covers the Kasbah quarter in one structured circuit with a guide who explains the Saadian dynasty | US$33 |
Marrakech Highlights Guided Tour | Bahia Palace + Saadian Tombs + Koutoubia Mosque + Souks + Medina. Monument entry fees paid separately on the day (~100 MAD per site per adult). | Live guide, English or French, shared group, max 15 | 4 hours | Best for first-time visitors who want to understand the full Medina — not just the Kasbah monuments | US$23 |
At 135 by 110 meters, El Badi’s vast central courtyard was built to impress foreign envoys. Its 90-meter reflecting pool once mirrored the sky and cooled the air, helping you grasp the palace’s original imperial scale.
Set around the central pool, four excavated gardens reinterpret the classic riad on an imperial scale. Replanted with orange and olive trees, they soften the red sandstone ruins and hint at the palace’s carefully engineered water system.
Commissioned in 1137 for Marrakech’s Koutoubia Mosque and crafted in Córdoba, this cedar-wood minbar is inlaid with bone, ivory, silver, and gold. Its million-piece marquetry makes it the palace’s most important surviving masterpiece.
Beneath the courtyards, vaulted brick corridors reveal the palace’s hidden workforce and logistics. Once used for storage, kitchens, quarters, and possibly prisons, these cooler tunnels add atmosphere and context that the open ruins above can’t show.
The ruined Qubba al-Khamsiniya, once the audience hall of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, anchors the western side of the complex. Climb above it for sweeping views of the Medina, Koutoubia minaret, Atlas Mountains, and nesting white storks.
Yes, especially for busy spring and autumn mornings. Online booking lets you bypass the ticket window queue, which can take 20–45 minutes at peak times.
No. It skips the ticket purchase line only. All visitors still go through bag inspection and ticket scanning at the main Bab Al-Rokham entrance.
Entry to the full site, grand courtyard, sunken orange garden, ramparts, underground passages, and the Koutoubia Minbar pavilion, plus a souvenir postcard: a physical print of your chosen palace photo, mailed after your visit.
El Badi Palace is not a named stop on either of the available guided tours. Both tours cover Bahia Palace, the Saadian Tombs, Koutoubia Mosque, and the Souks. If you want to visit El Badi, the self-guided entry ticket is the right option. The Saadian Tombs, a 5-minute walk from El Badi, are included on both guided tours.
It’s a monumental ruin, not a restored palace. Expect vast courtyards, stripped walls, and open-air remains rather than preserved tiled rooms.
Plan 1.5–2 hours to explore the courtyard, underground passages, Minbar exhibition, and terrace viewpoints comfortably. Early visits are easier in warmer months.
The palace is usually open daily from 9am to 5pm. During Ramadan, hours typically shift to 10am–4pm, so check timings before visiting.
Partly. The main courtyard, garden paths, and ground-floor exhibition spaces are flat, but the underground passages and upper terraces require stairs.
No. There’s no café or water vendor inside the grounds, so it’s best to bring water with you before entering.
The only public entrance is Bab Al-Rokham, reached from Place des Ferblantiers in the Kasbah. Ignore unofficial guides and head straight to the gate.
Mostly, yes. The site reopened after the 2023 earthquake, but some exhibition areas may have localized closures or scaffolding during restoration works.
El Badi translates as "The Incomparable." The name was given by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur at the palace's completion in 1603. Guests at the opening reportedly called it the Eighth Wonder of the World.
The Minbar is a carved wooden pulpit commissioned for the Koutoubia Mosque in 1137 and made by craftsmen in Cordoba. It stood in the mosque for centuries before being moved to El Badi Palace for preservation. Made from cedarwood inlaid with ebony, ivory, and silver marquetry — considered one of the finest surviving examples of Islamic woodwork.
Yes, and most visitors do. The two sites are 5 minutes apart on foot through the Kasbah district. Both were built by Ahmad al-Mansur using the same source of wealth. They are separate tickets, both bookable online.
There is no dedicated guided tour for El Badi Palace. The two available guided tours cover the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, Koutoubia Mosque, and the Souks — El Badi is not on either itinerary. The self-guided entry ticket is the only current option for visiting El Badi.
Yes — a physical print, not a digital file. Your chosen photo is printed and mailed to the address you provide. International delivery times vary.
Before 10am or after 3:30pm in summer (May–September). The courtyard is open-air with no shade. October–April is the most comfortable season, and October–February gives the best chance of Atlas Mountain views from the ramparts.
At the center of the palace, this open archaeological court frames a 90-metre reflecting basin and the site’s main circulation. Most visits begin here before branching to the gardens, underground passages, western pavilion ruins, and upper terraces.
Set symmetrically around the central pool, these garden courts reflect the palace’s Andalusian-Maghrebi layout through excavated planting beds and citrus trees. Follow the perimeter paths for the clearest views back across the courtyard and toward the surrounding walls.
On the western side of the courtyard, this ruined audience pavilion marks the palace’s main ceremonial zone from the Saadian period. Its large footprint helps orient the route before the stair climb to the ramparts and adjacent upper viewpoints.
Housed in a climate-controlled pavilion on the grounds, this exhibition centers on a 12th-century wooden minbar from the Koutoubia Mosque. The quieter stop sits off the main courtyard route and requires a separate ticket check at the entrance.
Below the courtyards, vaulted brick corridors lead through the palace’s service and storage spaces, later used as dungeons. Descend by staircase for archaeological and photographic displays, then return above ground near the main pool and garden edges.
Reached by modern staircases in the ramparts, these upper terraces form the palace’s main viewpoints. From here, visitors look across the courtyard plan, the Kasbah roofs, the Koutoubia minaret, and, on clear days, the Atlas Mountains.
As the sole public entrance, Bab Al-Rokham anchors the visit at the edge of Place des Ferblantiers. This monumental gate introduces the palace’s scale before security, ticket validation, and the direct walk into the central archaeological courtyard.
📍 Address: Place des Ferblantiers, Marrakech Medina | Find on maps
El Badi Palace is in Marrakech's Kasbah district, off Place des Ferblantiers, approximately 15 minutes on foot from Jemaa el-Fna. The Marrakech Highlights guided tour meets at Café de France in Jemaa el-Fna; the Bahia Palace tour meets near the Medina's main entrance.
Getting there:
