Morocco: Marrakesh – Saadian Tombs
Saadian Tombs is a major historic attraction in the heart of the old city near the Kasbah Mosque – it’s a necropolis dating back to the Saadian dynasty in the late 16th century. After the decline of the Saadian dynasty, the tombs were sealed off and remained hidden until their rediscovery in the 1917 by French colonial authorities. The tombs were commissioned by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur to serve as the burial place for himself and his family (note to self – should commission something similar to myself one day). The tombs have elaborate decoration, intricate stucco work, colorful tile mosaics, and ultra ornate marble columns. The complex is divided into two main mausoleums and a garden with graves of soldiers and servants. The most famous chamber is the Hall of the Twelve Columns, which contains the tomb of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur himself. Historian consider these tombs to be the main design influencers of future masterpiece in the Andalusian Spain.
