Ben Youssef Madrasa: key facts and figures
Ticket prices, opening hours, location and history in one place. Each line links to its source.
Last updated:
40 verified facts about the Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech, each with its source and the date we checked it. Last checked: 2026-11-03. Facts we could not confirm are left out.
Tickets and prices
| Item | Value | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| Adult, foreign visitors | 50 MAD | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Adult, Moroccan visitors | 20 MAD | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Moroccan rate | on showing a Moroccan identity card | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Children under 12 | 10 MAD | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Groups (per person) | 30 MAD | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Group rate from | 21 people or more | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Where tickets are sold | tickets are sold only at the entrance; the official online ticketing was under maintenance when we checked | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Group visits | groups of up to 30 people plus their guide, and tourist groups must be led by a qualified, accredited tourist guide | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Official guided visits | guided visits can be requested from the madrasa by phone, email or its contact form | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
Opening hours
| Item | Value | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| Regular hours | 9:00–19:00, every day | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| During Ramadan | 9:00–16:30, every day | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Time to plan | about 45 minutes to 1 hour; up to 1.5 hours if you explore every upstairs room and take photos | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
Location
| Item | Value | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| Address | Rue Assouel, Marrakech 40000 | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Neighbourhood | the Ben Youssef neighbourhood, in the heart of the medina | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Access | on foot only, through the medina’s winding alleys; signs lead the way from Jemaa el-Fna | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| From Jemaa el-Fna square | 1.1 km | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| From Bahia Palace | 1.8 km | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| From the Saadian Tombs | 2.1 km | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| From El Badi Palace | 2.5 km | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
History
| Item | Value | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| First madrasa on the site | the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan (r. 1331–1348) | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Present building by | the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Built | 1564–1565 | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Taught | religious sciences, philosophy, medicine and mathematics | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Closed as a school | 1960 | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Opened as a monument | 1982 | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Latest restoration (closed) | November 2018 to April 2022 | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Size | the largest madrasa in Morocco | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Visitors per year (official) | more than 230,000 | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
The building
| Item | Value | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| Student rooms | 134 student rooms around 13 small courtyards: 54 on the ground floor and 80 upstairs | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Main courtyard | 21.90 × 16.50 m | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Courtyard pool | about 3 × 7 m | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Prayer hall | 16.40 × 8.17 m | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Mihrab | a five-sided mihrab whose arch is framed by four marble columns | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Andalusian basin | a marble basin carved in Córdoba’s Madinat al-Zahra between 1002 and 1007, with a Kufic inscription naming Abd al-Malik, son of the vizier al-Mansur, and carvings of birds and fish | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
| Zellij tiles | 3 cm, double the usual thickness | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Materials | carved cedar, sculpted stucco, zellij tilework, marble and calligraphy | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Building size | about 40 × 43 m, on two floors | en.wikipedia.org (2026-11-03) |
Contact
| Item | Value | Source (checked) |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Official phone | +212 524 38 41 12 | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
| Official email | contact@medersabenyoussef.ma | medersabenyoussef.ma (2026-11-03) |
Spotted a change? Tell us. Prices and hours can change; the official Ben Youssef Madrasa website is the final word.