A mosque built in the XIIth century, the Koutoubia is distinguished by its exceptional minaret.
Over time,
the Koutoubia Mosque has become emblematic of Marrakech. Its construction was
decided in 1158 by the sultan Almohades Abdel Moumen soon after his conquest of
Marrakech. It was completed in 1199 with the building of his famous minaret
ordered by the little son of Sultan Yacoub el Mansour. Koutoubia, literally the
"Mosque of the booksellers' in Arabic, is named after the many merchants
of books and manuscripts that set up their stalls in the immediate vicinity of
the building from 12 ° -13 ° century.
Koutoubia
occupies the place of an ancient palace Almohavide and was built after the
destruction of the first mosque whose orientation was not facing Mecca. This
jewel of Moorish art consists of 16 devices naves and a central wider nave. It’s
luxurious Almoravide inspired décor is magnified by a certain sobriety.
The minaret
of the Koutoubia inspired the architects of the Giralda in Seville and the
Hassan Tower in Rabat. This square tower in finely worked stone rises to a
height of 77 meters, taking into account his lantern. An internal staircase
gives access to rooms covered with domes as well as the top. The upper facades
of Koutoubia are decorated with ceramic tiles forming different ornaments on
each side.
Access to
the mosque is reserved for Muslims. Western tourists have to be content to
admire the minaret and can see a brief overview of the splendor of the
Koutoubia Mosque by the gateway.
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