Moulay El Yazid Mosque (Kasbah Mosque)

About this place

The Moulay El Yazid Mosque, also known as the Kasbah Mosque, was commissioned by Almohad Caliph Yaqub al-Mansur in the late 12th century as the principal mosque for the Kasbah district — the royal citadel and administrative center of the Almohad empire. Constructed simultaneously with the city's fortifications and the expansion of the Great Mosque of the Koutoubia, it served as the religious heart of the Almohad court. The mosque's minaret decoration established design principles that would influence Moroccan architecture for centuries to come. Its strategic location within the Kasbah placed it at the center of political and spiritual power, with the royal palace and government offices nearby. The mosque's southern wall would later become the site of one of Morocco's most significant archaeological discoveries — the Saadian Tombs, which were built directly against this wall in the 16th century. The complex relationship between the mosque and the tombs reflects the layered history of Marrakech, where Almohad foundations were built upon by successive dynasties. The mosque remains an active place of worship and a key landmark for understanding the urban planning of the medieval Almohad city.