Koutoubia Minaret

The Koutoubia Mosque, also known as the Kutubiyya Mosque, is the largest mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is located in the southwest medina quarter of Marrakesh, near the Jemaa el-Fnaa market place, and is flanked by large gardens. The mosque was founded in 1147 by the Almohad caliph Abd al-Mu'min and is an important example of Almohad architecture and of Moroccan mosque architecture generally. The minaret tower, 77 metres in height, is decorated with varying geometric arch motifs and topped by a spire and metal orbs. The mosque is situated on the Avenue Mohammed V, opposite Place de Foucauld, and is surrounded by several notable landmarks, including the rose garden, the mausoleum of the Almoravid emir Yusuf ibn Tashfin, and the Koubba of Lalla Zohra. Visitors can explore the mosque's esplanade, which backs onto Jemaa el Fna, and see the ruins of the first Kutubiyya Mosque