Koutoubia Mosque

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The Koutoubia Mosque, also spelled Kutubiyya, is the largest mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco. It stands in the southwest of the old medina, near the busy Jemaa el-Fnaa market square, and is flanked by big gardens. Its minaret, 77 metres tall, is the symbol of the city and one of the best-known landmarks in Morocco.

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At a glance

Country: Morocco
Location: Marrakesh, Morocco
Built: 1158
Height: 77 m
Type: Religious building

Quick answers

Where is Koutoubia Mosque?

Koutoubia Mosque is in Marrakesh, Morocco.

When was Koutoubia Mosque built?

Koutoubia Mosque was built in 1158.

How tall is Koutoubia Mosque?

Koutoubia Mosque is about 77 m tall.

Marrakesh's Almohad landmark mosque, whose 77 m sandstone minaret inspired Seville's Giralda.

The tower is decorated with different arch patterns and is topped by a spire and metal balls. It is a leading example of Almohad architecture, and it probably inspired the Giralda in Seville and the Hassan Tower in Rabat, which were built soon after. The mosque is still used for prayer, so non-Muslims cannot go inside.

Two mosques side by side

The Almohad caliph Abd al-Mu'min founded the first mosque in 1147, right after he took Marrakesh from the Almoravids. Around 1158 a second mosque was built next to it, and Ya'qub al-Mansur may have finished the minaret about 1195. Scholars still debate why a second one was needed; a popular story says the first was not aligned correctly. The two probably worked as one large mosque for a long time. The ruins of the first mosque can still be seen on the esplanade.

A mosque of booksellers

The name comes from the Arabic word for booksellers. At one time as many as 100 book vendors worked in the streets at the foot of the mosque, which is why it is also known as the Booksellers' Mosque. West and south of the mosque is a well-known rose garden.

Rebuilt and repaired

Over the centuries the building was repaired many times. In the 1800s two sultans restored the upper part of the minaret, and further work was done in the 1900s and at the end of the 1990s. In 2016 solar panels and LED lights were added. After an earthquake on 8 September 2023 the building stayed standing, though cracks appeared in the minaret, and the mosque reopened in March 2024 after renovation.