El Badi Palace

The El Badi Palace Marrakech: A ruin that is still alive

And yet everything comes to an end … At least for the Saadian dynasty that ruled during the 16th and 17th centuries. They were succeeded by a new royal family: The Alaoui Dynasty, which continues to this day today, through King Mohammed VI, who holds the royal scepter.

The new Sultan at the time, Moulay Ismail, proclaimed Meknes THE Royal City of Morocco. The Sultan is too known for its extensive harem and its many children. Meknes was to become the Versailles of Morocco and to accomplish this, all the available equipment present in Morocco was delivered to Meknes. Even if it meant tearing down existing buildings and palaces.

The Roman city of Volubilis was dismantled from its marble pillars and blocks of stone. Similarly, the El Badi Palace, which was almost completely gutted to give the new royal residence in Meknes the necessary allure. As a result, the former royal residence in the Kasbah district (Royal Quartier) of Marrakech entered oblivion, as do the impressive tombs of the previous dynasty: the Saadian tombs. Until early 1900 Morocco fell under the protectorate of France and the French recognized the cultural value of this secret that the city has kept hidden for more than two centuries.

Today the El Badi palace has fallen into ruins and is open to the public. With little imagination, you can imagine how majestic it once must have been. The unblemished beauty of the Tombs of the palace’s founders also serves as a source of inspiration. Don’t forget during your visit to climb the old walls. A beautiful view of the city awaits you!

You will certainly notice something else … the many stork nests in El Badi. At the end of the afternoon, the storks fly out and fill the air of Marrakech with these sacred birds! According to Moroccans, the stork symbolizes the soul and even appears in the One Thousand and One Nights. To get in to speak fairy-tale spheres, you can also imagine that the former Kings still talk about them every day out of Royal City. And blame them!

Our tip! Combine a visit with a walk through the Kasbah working-class district! This will give you a nice stroll along with the local market, the liveliness, and other cultural sites such as the Saadian tombs and Bab Agnaou. Read more about this on our website. Take place on the roof terrace of the Kosybar located at Place Ferblantiers, during the golden hour. Enjoy this walk while the sun slowly sinks behind the Koutoubia. A perfect ending!