Palaces & Monuments
El Badi Palace: Marrakech's Ruined Splendour
The stripped-bare walls of a once-golden palace, now ruled by storks.
- Opening hours
- Daily, roughly 9:00–17:00 (check locally)
- Entry
- About 100 MAD / 10 EUR
- Time needed
- 45–60 minutes
- Best time
- Late afternoon for warm light on the walls and storks in the nests
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Overview
El Badi — 'the incomparable' — was once among the most magnificent palaces on earth, built by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in the 1570s from gold, onyx, Italian marble and Sudanese treasure. A later sultan stripped it bare to build his own capital, and what remains is a spectacular ruin: towering earthen walls, sunken gardens and storks' nests against the sky. Its emptiness is, oddly, the whole point.
Al-Mansur paid for the palace with the ransom of Portuguese nobles and the gold of a conquered Songhai empire, and reportedly threw a legendary party for its inauguration. For a century it dazzled ambassadors — until Sultan Moulay Ismail dismantled it in the 1690s and carted its riches north to Meknes, leaving the shell you see today. A court jester's supposed quip that it would 'make a fine ruin' proved prophetic.
You enter into a colossal central courtyard — a vast rectangle with a sunken orange grove and the remnants of a huge central pool, flanked by the stumps of pavilions. The scale is astonishing: rammed-earth (pisé) walls rise on every side, weathered to gold and ochre, with white storks nesting along the ramparts and calling to one another. Underground passages and cool storerooms honeycomb the base.
Tucked in a side room is a genuine treasure: the intricately carved 12th-century minbar (pulpit) of the Koutoubia Mosque, a masterpiece of Almoravid woodwork, beautifully restored and displayed. Climb the ramparts for a panoramic view over the palace, the Kasbah and across to the Atlas. Late afternoon, with warm light on the walls and storks overhead, is the most atmospheric — and photogenic — time to come.
Highlights
- The vast, roofless ruins of a 16th-century Saadian palace
- Towering rammed-earth walls topped with nesting storks
- Sunken orange gardens and a huge central courtyard pool
- The restored 12th-century Koutoubia minbar, kept in a museum room
What to see
The great courtyard
A vast sunken orange grove around a central pool, ringed by ruined pavilions and towering walls.
The ramparts & storks
Climb the walls for panoramic views; white storks nest along the parapets year-round.
The Koutoubia minbar
The exquisitely carved 12th-century pulpit of the Koutoubia, restored and displayed in a museum room.
The underground passages
Cool vaulted storerooms and tunnels honeycombing the base of the palace.
Getting there
- In the Kasbah quarter of the southern medina, near the Saadian Tombs
- About a 15–20 minute walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa through Place des Ferblantiers
- Easily paired on foot with the Bahia Palace and Saadian Tombs
Insider tips
- Come late afternoon for golden light on the earthen walls
- Climb the ramparts for the best views and stork's-eye perspective
- Don't miss the Koutoubia minbar in its side gallery — it's a masterpiece
- Wear decent shoes; the ground is uneven and there are steps
- Combine with the Saadian Tombs and Place des Ferblantiers next door
Frequently asked questions
Why is the El Badi Palace in ruins?
Sultan Moulay Ismail deliberately stripped it in the 1690s, carrying its gold, marble and onyx north to decorate his new capital at Meknes. What was once a palace of legendary opulence was reduced to its rammed-earth shell — which is now its haunting appeal, all towering walls, sunken gardens and nesting storks.
What is there to see at El Badi if it's empty?
Plenty — the sheer scale of the ruined courtyard and walls is the draw, along with the storks nesting on the ramparts, the sunken orange gardens, the underground storerooms, and the panoramic views from the top of the walls. Don't miss the beautifully restored 12th-century Koutoubia minbar displayed in a side room.
How much is entry to El Badi Palace?
Around 100 MAD (about 10 EUR), paid in cash at the entrance; prices are periodically revised so confirm on the day. It's a short but atmospheric visit, and combines naturally with the nearby Saadian Tombs and Bahia Palace into one southern-medina monuments walk.
Can you climb the walls at El Badi Palace?
Yes — a ramp and stairs lead up onto the ramparts, from where you get sweeping views over the palace ruins, the Kasbah quarter and out to the Atlas Mountains, plus a close look at the storks' nests. Wear sensible shoes, as the surfaces are uneven.