Mausoleum

Saadian Tombs

#5of 9 places to visit in MarrakechMarrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Also known as Tombeaux Saadiens · Saadian Necropolis · Saadien Tombs

Quick answer

Opening hours: 09:00–16:45. Entry: MAD 100. Allow 45 min. Best time: Opening time.

Updated 18 September 2026 · Compiled by Traveliac, AI-assisted · 4 min read

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Photo: C messier / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Opening hours: 09:00–16:45; Open daily, commonly listed as 09:00-16:45 or 09:00-17:00. Sources conflict: the regional tourism council (CRT Marrakech-Safi) lists 08:30-11:45 and 14:30-17:45 with a midday break, while other guides list continuous hours. The later opening and earlier closing are shown; verify at the entrance. Ramadan hours are shorter, commonly 10:00-16:00. Some areas may close for restoration work following the 2023 earthquake.
Entry fee: MAD 100; Ticket from
Time needed: 45 min
Best time of day: Opening time
Best months: Mar – May, Sep – Nov
Address: Rue de la Kasbah, Medina, 40000 Marrakech, Morocco

About Saadian Tombs

Saadian Tombs charge MAD 100 for adult foreign visitors, as of 2026 (some guides list MAD 70, so verify at the window), and the site is a small walled necropolis beside the Kasbah Mosque on Rue de la Kasbah. The site holds the burials of about 60 members of the Saadian dynasty and roughly 100 further tombs of soldiers and servants, laid out in a garden of flat stone slabs and tiled floor markers around two main mausoleums. Saadian Tombs are small and compact, and the visit is dominated by one room: the Hall of Twelve Columns, where Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur is buried under a ceiling of carved cedar and gilded plaster, on columns reported to be of Italian Carrara marble. Plan for about 45 minutes, most of it spent waiting to see the hall through a narrow doorway.

Best time of day: Opening time. 09:00, when the lane outside is empty and the small mausoleum rooms can be entered without queuing.

Saadian Tombs timings

Saadian Tombs opens at 09:00 and closes at 16:45. The weekend is no different: Saturday and Sunday follow the same times.

Opening hours: 09:00–16:45; Mon–Sun 09:00–16:45; Open daily, commonly listed as 09:00-16:45 or 09:00-17:00. Sources conflict: the regional tourism council (CRT Marrakech-Safi) lists 08:30-11:45 and 14:30-17:45 with a midday break, while other guides list continuous hours. The later opening and earlier closing are shown; verify at the entrance. Ramadan hours are shorter, commonly 10:00-16:00. Some areas may close for restoration work following the 2023 earthquake.
Closed on: Open every day

Mon–Sun	09:00–16:45

Good to know: Ramadan hours are shorter, commonly 10:00-16:00. Some areas may close for restoration work following the 2023 earthquake.

Opening hours compiled from visitmarrakech.com and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Saadian Tombs ticket price

Entry fees for Saadian Tombs
Ticket	Price
Standard ticket	MAD 100
Concession (student / senior)	Free
Children	Free

Saadian Tombs charge MAD 100 for adult foreign visitors, as of 2026, per most 2026 sources; children under 12 enter free. SOURCE CONFLICT: earlier guides and some current ones list MAD 70; verify at the ticket window. Cash in dirhams only, no cards. No separate student or senior rate was found, and the concession field shows 0 for lack of a confirmed figure.

Prices compiled from visitmarrakech.com and public records, last updated 18 September 2026. They change without notice — confirm before you travel. How we write these guides

Best time to visit Saadian Tombs

Quiet
Moderate
Very busy

09:00 - 10:30
Opening CalmBest time to go
The lane outside the entrance is quiet and the mausoleum room can be seen with little waiting.
Quiet
10:30 - 13:00
Tour Group Wave
Coach tours arrive at once; the narrow doorway to the Hall of Twelve Columns creates a queue of 20-60 minutes.
Very busy
13:00 - 15:00
Midday Slack
Tours move on to lunch and the queue shortens, though heat in summer can be intense in the open garden.
Moderate
15:00 - 16:45
Late Afternoon
A steady trickle of independent visitors; the flat light suits tile photography, and last entry is around 16:30.
Moderate

History of Saadian Tombs

Saadian Tombs were built in the late 16th century by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur (r. 1578-1603), who used the site next to the Kasbah Mosque, where earlier Saadian rulers were already buried, to create a lavish royal mausoleum. The Hall of Twelve Columns holds al-Mansur's tomb and those of his family and successors; a second chamber, the Chamber of the Three Niches, and a garden with smaller tombs hold other family members and retainers.

After the Saadian dynasty fell, the Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismail (r. 1672-1727) is reported to have walled up the entrance to the tombs rather than destroy them, the same sultan who stripped El Badi Palace, and the site was sealed from view for centuries except for a narrow passage through the mosque grounds. French authorities rediscovered it in 1917, using aerial photographs, and restored it during the Protectorate; the site was opened to the public soon afterward. The Ministry of Culture included the Saadian Tombs in the Marrakech monuments restoration programme announced after the September 2023 Al Haouz earthquake, so scaffolding or partial closures are possible.

Rules & etiquette at Saadian Tombs

Saadian Tombs are a burial ground, so keep voices low and dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. The entrance is a narrow passage alongside the Kasbah Mosque, and visitors move in a single line, which is where most of the waiting time accumulates. Peak-season queues at midday can run 20-60 minutes, according to visitor reports, as of 2026.

Saadian Tombs allow photography without flash, but tripods and long stays in front of the Hall of Twelve Columns are discouraged because the doorway is small and the queue moves slowly. Touts on Rue de la Kasbah sometimes offer to guide visitors for a fee, and confirm the price before accepting any help; official guides carry an official badge. Tickets are sold at the gate for cash only, so bring dirhams in small notes.

Tips for visiting Saadian Tombs

1
Saadian Tombs are best combined with Bahia Palace and El Badi Palace on the same morning, since the three are 10-15 minutes apart on foot through the southern medina, though the lanes are confusing. Arrive at opening, before the 10:30 tour-group wave, and go straight to the Hall of Twelve Columns, then walk the garden, which is quieter.
2
Saadian Tombs are most crowded around midday. The site is small, so most visitors fit it into an itinerary alongside El Badi Palace, and the Kasbah Mosque next door is closed to non-Muslims. Buy water and small-denomination cash beforehand. A wander through Place des Ferblantiers and the Mellah (the old Jewish quarter) is a short walk from the exit and has quieter cafes, but check that a cafe lists its prices before ordering.

How to reach Saadian Tombs

The red star is Saadian Tombs; the numbered pins are the 7 nearest places in our guides, each showing its rank in its city. Tap a pin for details.

Rue de la Kasbah, Medina, 40000 Marrakech, MoroccoDirections in Google Maps

From Jemaa el-Fnaa
1 km · 12-18 min
Free on foot; a petit taxi starts near MAD 7 on the meter, and drivers often quote MAD 20-30 flat
From Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)
8 km · 40-55 min
MAD 30 one-way on Bus 19 (as of 2026)
From Marrakech railway station (ONCF)
5 km · 15-25 min
Typically MAD 25-40 on the meter or an agreed fare

Nearest airport

From Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK)

approximately 8 km, 20-30 minutes by taxi.

Nearest station

From Marrakech railway station (ONCF)

approximately 5 km, 15-25 minutes by taxi.

Saadian Tombs FAQs

How much do the Saadian Tombs cost?

The Saadian Tombs cost MAD 100 for adult foreign visitors, as of 2026, per most current sources. Some guides list MAD 70, so verify at the ticket window; children under 12 enter free.

What are the Saadian Tombs?

The Saadian Tombs are a royal necropolis in the Marrakech medina, built in the late 16th century under Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, holding about 60 Saadian family members and around 100 more tombs. The Hall of Twelve Columns is the main mausoleum.

How long should you allow for the Saadian Tombs?

Allow about 45 minutes for the Saadian Tombs, mostly for the queue to the Hall of Twelve Columns; queues can reach 20-60 minutes at midday in peak season.

When were the Saadian Tombs rediscovered?

The Saadian Tombs were rediscovered in 1917, when aerial photographs revealed the walled-off complex to the French authorities. The Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismail is reported to have sealed the entrance in the 17th-18th century rather than destroy it.

Compiled with AI assistance from official sources and public records, and published only after the checks in How we write these guides. Nobody from Traveliac has visited this place. Last updated 18 September 2026. How we rank and check places