The Ben Youssef Madrasa is a joy to behold! Walking through all the old student rooms, peering out little windows into the center courtyard, and got-damn, that courtyard. I wish I had gone to a school this ornate.
The site has had a school on it since the 14th century, but what we see today is really from the Saadian Dynasty in the 16th century. This was a school for higher education mostly focusing on Islamic Theology and Fiqh (divine Islamic law). The Madrasa was a male-only school for ages typically ranging from late teens into early 20s.
The courtyard here is the real star of the show, utilizing an architectural style developed by the earlier Marinid Dynasty and absolutely covered with intricate arabesques, calligraphy and tessellations of Zellij tile.
This bad boi is an unbelievably delicious layer cake of woodworking, stucco, and tile. Oh, and it has a reflecting pool. DOPE! Opposite the entryway to the courtyard there is a particularly nice mihrab. A mihrab is a section of an Islamic building that points the direction for prayer and tends to be very ornate. Think super pretty gateway.
Price for entry is 40MAD or around 4 euro/dollar. You can spend about an hour exploring the school. It has dormitories upstairs and a host of other little rooms to see. I would visit as early as possible in the day or right around closing, because it gets pretty busy.
After the Madrasa, you could check out the Almoravid Qubba nearby, which is one—if not the only—example of Almoravid architecture remaining in the city. The Almoravids were the founders of Marrakech, so I would say it is worth a look.
Also, there is a vegan cafe nearby called World Storytelling Cafe; it’s nice and I like it! Do not go to the tanneries. You will be scammed. If meat is more your jam, head on into the souks! There’s an especially meaty section called Mechoui Alley where they’re cooking up whole lamb and mutton.
You can find me on Instagram and Tiktok. Select photos are for sale on my Etsy page. Links below.
