Bahia Palace

You end the route at the Bahia Palace, the finest example of an aristocratic residence from 19th-century Morocco. It wasn't a sultan who lived here, but the men who governed in his name.

1Father and son

Work began in the 1860s, commissioned by Si Musa, grand vizier to Sultan Mohammed IV. The Grand Riad dates from his time, with two rooms dated by an inscription to 1866-1867. His son, Ba Ahmed, was grand vizier from 1894 to 1900 and effectively ran the country while Sultan Abdelaziz was still a minor. He enlarged the palace with new wings and the marble-paved Grand Courtyard, finished around 1896-1897.

The architect was Mohammed ibn al-Makki al-Misfiwi, a native of Safi. The complex covers almost two hectares and holds around 150 rooms arranged around courtyards and gardens.

2From glory to plunder

The name, al-Bahia, means 'the Brilliant' and, so it's said, was the name of Ba Ahmed's favourite wife. When the vizier died in 1900, the palace passed to the crown and, according to accounts of the time, was emptied within hours. In 1912 it became the residence of the French resident-general, Lyautey.

3What to look for

• The Grand Courtyard, with its marble and painted wooden galleries.
• The cedar ceilings painted with floral motifs.
• The green roof tiles, a colour traditionally associated with prestigious buildings.