Ben Youssef Madrasa

Behind this bronze door lies the Ben Youssef Madrasa, the largest residential college for Islamic studies the Maghreb ever had.

1A Saadian building

According to the historian al-Ifrani, a madrasa founded in the 14th century by the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan already stood here. The present building was commissioned by the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib and, according to an inscription, completed in 1564-1565. It takes its name from the neighbouring mosque, founded by the Almoravid emir Ali ibn Yusuf.

It had 130 student cells, spread over two floors around several small courtyards, and is said to have housed up to about 800 students. Young men came from all over Morocco to study the Quran, law and grammar. It closed as a school in 1960, opened as a monument in 1982 and, after restoration between 2018 and 2022, welcomed visitors once more.

2The great courtyard

The heart of the building is a courtyard with a large rectangular pool. The walls combine three materials: zellige tilework at the bottom, carved stucco in the middle and cedar wood at the top. The prayer hall holds a marble basin carved in Córdoba in the early 11th century.

One wall, three crafts: the tile-cutter, the plasterer and the carpenter.

3What to look for

• The bronze door at the entrance.
• The bilingual sign above the door.
• The minaret of the Ben Youssef Mosque, a few steps away.