Saadian Tombs

For 300 years, no one knew they existed. Sultan Moulay Ismail sealed the tombs of the rival Saadian dynasty in the 17th century, unable to destroy them (bad luck) but unwilling to honour them. A French aerial survey rediscovered them in 1917. The Saadians ruled Morocco's golden age — the sugar trade, the conquest of Timbuktu, the grandeur that built the El Badi Palace. Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur constructed these tombs in the late 1500s for his family. Sixty-six members of the dynasty lie here, including al-Mansur himself, in three pavilions around a garden. The Hall of Twelve Columns is the masterpiece — Italian Carrara marble, cedarwood muqarnas (honeycomb vaulting), zellige so fine it looks like embroidery. The craftsmanship rivals the Alhambra. The space is small; the crowds can feel oppressive. Come early. Best time: 9am opening or 4pm Allow: 45 minutes Combine with: El Badi Palace and Bahia Palace (same quarter)