Timeline
Moments in a longer story.
Selected chapters in the story of El Badi Palace, from a Saadian royal project to a heritage destination.
On this page
A palace, its spaces and its visitors
This is a visitor timeline of El Badi Palace in Marrakech, Morocco. It is not a company history. The historical dates follow the linked Moroccan Ministry of Culture reference.
-
1578
A royal project begins
The Ministry dates the beginning of construction to 1578, under the Saadian sultan Ahmed al-Mansur.
-
1578–1593
A palace takes shape
Its construction extended across these years, creating pavilions around a large rectangular courtyard and central pool.
-
1593
The construction period closes
The Ministry gives 1593 as the end of the principal construction period.
-
Courtyard
A plan that can still be read
Open spaces and surviving structures offer a way to understand the palace’s scale. This is an architectural observation, not a separate historical date.
-
18 July 1923
A listed national monument
The Ministry records El Badi Palace’s national heritage listing on this date.
-
Today
An introduction for visitors
Follow current visitor guidance while exploring the remains. Contemporary entry arrangements should be checked separately from this historical timeline.
Follow the stories behind the dates
The timeline is an introduction. Read the Ministry’s source account for context, and distinguish historical dates from current visitor arrangements.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers. They do not imply affiliation with or endorsement of El Badi Palace.