The Medersa Ben Youssef is one of the most beautiful buildings of Marrakech and worth the effort of finding it in the medina north of the Jemaa el fna. It is an Islamic college with a large pool of water at its center and amazing decorations at its walls and roofs made of marble and cedar wood. The college dates back to the 14th century and was created in the style of the Marinid dynasty which was preserved when it was rebuilt during the Saadi dynasty in 1564. The Medersa Ben Youssef has three levels that you should consider exploring: on the first floor the rooms of the students can be visited, rather small cells.
On top of the building there is also a roof terrace with nice views. Unfortunately, the Medersa is often flooded with tourists. Because of its building date in the 14th century it looks pretty similar to the Islamic colleges at Fés and visiting them was way more relaxed. Next to the Medersa you can also find the Koubba el-Baadyn (a dome in Almohad style) and the Musée de Marrakech which isn’t a big highlight but a good by-catch. From Jemaa el fna it is a ten minutes walk to these places: walk north on Souk Laksour, turn right immediately and turn left onto the second street (Souk Semmarine). Once this street ends turn left onto Rue Azbezt which leads you to the Medersa.
Medersa Ben Youssef
Marrakech
Morocco
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