Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Medersa Ben Youssef
It is not the oldest or most significant of Marrakech
monuments, but the medersa is one of the city's most
impressive buildings and allows entry to non-Muslims. It
was built by the Saadian sultan, Moulay Abdellah around
1565, and was rebuilt in the 16th century. It displays all
the fine decorative detailing that characterizes what was
the golden age of Moroccan architecture. The medersa
has also had a brush with movie stardom, as an Algerian
Sufi retreat in the Kate Winslet movie
Hideous Kinky
.
Top 10 Features
1 Ablutions Basin
2 Main Courtyard
3 Tiling
4 Carved stucco
5 Prayer Hall
6 The role of the medersa
7 Dar Bellarj
8 Student Cells
9 Chrob au Chouf Fountain
0 Rue de Souk des Fassis
Arches at entrance
Architectural detail
You can get a ticket
that combines visits
to the medersa,
Musée de Marrakech
and Koubba El
Badiyin
(see p68)
.
The neighbouring
Musée de Marrakech
(see p68)
has a small
café selling snacks
and drinks.
•
Map K2
• Fondation Omar
Benjelloun, Place Ben
Youssef, Medina
• 0524 39 09 11
• Open Apr-Sep 9am-
6pm daily (except during
religious holidays)
• Adm 40 Dh; combined
ticket to visit Musée de
Marrakech and Koubba
El Badiyin 60 Dh,
discount 8-18 years,
under-8 years free
• www.musee.ma
• musee.de.marrakech@
menara.ma
!
Ablutions Basin
The entrance is via a
long, dark corridor leading
to a square vestibule
opening into a large court-
yard. On the left is a marble
basin carved with floral mo-
tifs in the Andalusian style.
£
Tiling
The lowest part of the
courtyard walls is covered
with
zellij
(glazed tiles)
tiling in an eight-pointed
star motif
(below)
. Above
this is a band of stylized
Koranic text that is inter-
woven with floral designs.
@
Main Courtyard
At the heart of the
medersa is a light-filled
courtyard with arcades
down two sides, a rectan-
gular pool in the middle and
a prayer hall. Every surface
has some decoration.
22
