Begun by Si Musa in the 1860s and expanded by Ba Ahmed (1894–1900), Bahia Palace fuses riad gardens, zellij, carved cedar, and stucco into Marrakech’s most lavish late‑precolonial residence. Later looted and repurposed, it now welcomes the public through painted salons and courtyards while conservation stabilizes timber, plaster, and tile under intense visitation.
The labyrinthine palace accreted in phases: Dar Si Moussa’s older wings, Ba Ahmed’s grand court (Cour d’Honneur), intimate harem riads, and garden pavilions. Moroccan masters executed cedar ceilings, zellij carpets, marble fountains, and muqarnas doorways in a display of elite patronage.
Built by powerful viziers rather than sultans, Bahia witnessed court intrigues. After Ba Ahmed’s death, the palace was seized, stripped of furnishings, and later served as a residence for French officials. Today, interpretation focuses on craft and social history rather than royal ceremony.
High humidity in enclosed riads, visitor wear, and UV damage to pigments necessitate constant care. Projects re‑level pavements, consolidate plasters, and manage visitor flows through one‑way circuits.
