Bahia Palace

What it is and why it matters

The Bahia Palace is a large residence of the late 19th century in the south of the medina, near the Mellah. It was built in two phases over about 8 hectares in the second half of the century. The main part was built between 1894 and 1900, when Ba Ahmed, son of Si Moussa and grand vizier of the sultan, extended his father's residence by joining several houses. In 1912, with the protectorate, it became the residence of the French resident-general in Marrakesh.

It is not a palace to take in at a glance, but a succession of courtyards, rooms and inner gardens that grew as neighbouring houses were bought. That is why it is toured like a maze.

What you see

The palace has four main courtyards, decorated with marble, zellige, stucco, carved wood and stained glass, with fountains and planted gardens.

You pass from one courtyard to another through corridors and rooms. In the salons, look up: the carved and painted wooden ceilings are the finest thing in the palace. In the courtyards, notice how the marble of the floor, the zellige of the dados and the stucco of the arches combine, and the coloured stained glass in some doors and windows.

The rooms are empty of furniture: what you see is the architecture and the decoration.

Hours and price

Entry costs 100 DH for foreign adults and 50 DH for foreign children aged 7 to 13; 30 and 10 DH for Moroccans and residents, who enter free on Fridays and on the first days of national and religious festivals. Tickets are sold at the Ministry of Culture's online ticket office and at the ticket window. The ministry's website gives hours of 9:00 to 17:00; confirm the last-entry time at the door.

Allow an hour.

When to go

At 9:00, when it opens. Organised groups arrive mid-morning and the courtyards, above all the small rooms, fill up quickly. First thing the light comes softly into the courtyards and it is quiet. Avoid midday in summer: the open courtyards give little shade.

Getting there

It is on Rue Riad Zitoun el-Jdid, in the south of the medina, about 15 minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fna. Very close is the El Badi Palace: the two visits link well in a morning. By petit taxi, ask for "Palais Bahia" and they drop you near the entrance.

With children and accessibility

The courtyards are flat and wide, and toured well with a pushchair; between some rooms there are steps and high thresholds. Children enjoy looking for the next courtyard. Ask at the ticket office about wheelchair access.

Guides

At the entrance there are usually guides offering their services; official ones carry accreditation. A guide explains who lived in each part of the palace, which is hard to understand without signs. If you want to hire one in advance, you have it at official medina guide.

Nearby

If you sleep in the quieter Kasbah and Mellah area, the palace is a walk away. For lunch, Chez Lamine Hadj Mustapha, near Jemaa el-Fna, serves mechoui at midday. At the luxury end, La Mamounia and Royal Mansour are to the west.