The Saadi Mausoleum is one of the popular attractions of the imperial city of Marrakech, located in the historic centre of the city, the Medina. The tomb complex is the family crypt and is also the only monument surviving from the Saadi dynasty, which ruled the Maghreb from 1509-1659. Paying great attention to the development of the arts in the country and international diplomatic relations, they brought Marrakech worldwide fame.
The mausoleum complex was erected in the 16th century and was not discovered until the early 20th century. After the era of the Saadi dynasty ended, the tombs were abandoned, partially built up and unvisited. Only in 1917 they were restored and opened for tourists.
The Saadi Mausoleum is a whole complex in which the remains of 60 representatives of this dynasty rest. It is worth noting that a member of the Saadi dynasty was also the ruler Ahmed al-Mansour, who made Marrakech the capital of the country.
The structure consists of three halls, each of which is uniquely decorated. The most famous is the 12-column hall, which became the tomb for Sultan Ahmed el-Mansour and members of his family. A garden grows next to the tombs and there are tombs where servants and soldiers are buried.
Decorated with colourful arabesques, covered with alabaster stalactites and finished with carved cedar wood and Carrara marble imported from Italy, the Saadi Mausoleum is a striking example of Islamic architecture.
The necropolis was so beautiful that even the Alawites who came to power in 1654 under the leadership of Sultan Mulay Ismail did not dare to destroy it. To prevent the tombs from reminding the ruling sultan of the luxurious life of his predecessors, he had them covered with a wall, leaving only a small secret door for entry.
Saadi's Mausoleum is a beautiful and majestic place with a special atmosphere.
