Founded after the Almohad conquest (1147) and completed under Yaqub al‑Mansur, Koutoubia is Marrakech’s largest mosque and an icon of Maghrebi architecture. Its 77‑m minaret inspired Seville’s Giralda and Rabat’s Hassan Tower. Though interior access is restricted to Muslims, gardens, plaza, and skyline views frame a masterpiece of 12th‑century stonework.
Two successive Almohad mosques at the site yielded the present hypostyle hall plan with horseshoe arches, brick and sandstone walls, and a vast arcaded courtyard. The square minaret, banded with ornament and topped by gilded spheres, served as a visual and spiritual marker for the city.
Koutoubia’s minaret set a Western Islamic template echoed by the Giralda (Seville) and Hassan Tower (Rabat). Its name—“of the booksellers”—recalls nearby manuscript markets.
Non‑Muslims admire the exteriors and gardens; conservation addresses stone decay, seismic resilience, and urban pollution. Night lighting and pedestrianization enhance the precinct, while prayer rhythms anchor daily life.
