Ben Youssef Madrasa is a breathtaking historical Islamic college located in the heart of the old medina of Marrakech, Morocco. Originally founded in the 14th century under the Marinid dynasty, the institution was completely rebuilt and scaled up between 1564 and 1565 by the Saadian Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib. Named after the adjacent Almoravid Sultan Ali ibn Yusuf, it operated for four centuries as the largest and most prestigious theological university in North Africa, housing up to 900 students who specialized in Quranic law, theology, and sciences. After closing its doors as a school in 1960, the building underwent a massive, multi-year preservation project and stands today as a protected UNESCO World Heritage site and an extraordinary pinnacle of Moroccan-Andalusian architecture.

Why You Should Visit

Visiting Ben Youssef Madrasa offers a deeply serene, mesmerizing journey into the intellectual and artistic soul of historical Morocco. The complex is covered in spatial symmetry, drawing your eyes inward toward a massive central marble patio where the brilliant reflections of a long pool dance against highly detailed tilework. Climbing up the narrow staircases to wander through the tiny, stark student dormitory cells offers a fascinating glimpse into the daily, disciplined lives of the scholars who once lived here.