Located near the Djemaa el Fna, the Koutoubia
Mosque is the largest mosque in Marrakesh. It is famed especially
for its magnificent minaret, the oldest of the three great Almohad minarets
remaining in the world.
Construction on the
Koutoubia mosque began shortly after the Almohad conquest of Marrakesh,
around 1150. Built on the site of an 11th-century Almoravid mosque,
it was completed during the reign of Sultan Yacoub el Mansour (1184-99). Its
name comes from the Arabic for "book" (koutoub), because there was
originally a book market nearby.
The highlight of the Koutoubia mosque, which
non-Muslims may not enter, is the beautiful minaret. Rising almost
70m, it dominates the Djemaa el Fna square and can be seen from much of the
city.
The design of the Koutoubia minaret was highly
influential on later towers (notably the Hassan Tower in Rabat and the
beautiful La Giralda in Seville) and on Moroccan architecture in
general. The wide band of ceramic tiles at the top, the pointed battlements
(merlons), the alternate patterning on each side, and various other decorative
motifs can all be seen on various buildings across the country.
The minaret is topped with
copper balls of decreasing size, a traditional design in Morocco. There are
usually only three orbs; legend has it the fourth was a gift from the wife of
Saadian ruler Yacoub el Mansour, as penance for breaking her fast for three
hours during Ramadan.Subscribe to InsideMarrakesh
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