Ali ben Youssef Mosque in Marrakech - is one of the city's historic sights and the oldest Muslim religious building. All of the city's neighborhoods are built around this majestic monument of Arab architecture.

The mosque was built in honor of Sidi Ali ibn Yusuf Sahaja. Today it is one of the seven patron saints of the city of Marrakech. Sidi Ali ibn Yusuf Sahaja sick with leprosy and lived in a cave. Muslims are loved and revered him for his humility, a deep faith and a righteous life.

The mosque has a very interesting history. It was originally built in the XII century. by order of the Emir Ali ibn Yusuf of the Almoravids. After Almohades came to power, who ruled Marrakech in the second half of XII century., The building of the mosque was almost completely destroyed. Re mosque was rebuilt during the reign of the dynasty Saadian on the orders of the Moroccan ruler Abdallah al-Ghalib. He ordered to build a temple at the madrassa school, still in effect today.

The total area of ​​the mosque, Ali ben Youssef is 9, 6 thousand square meters. Initially its architecture was almost the simplest of all possible options. In the XVI and XIX centuries. It was carried out extensive reconstruction of the Muslim temple, after which he changed beyond recognition.

In the guise of a mosque very well traced Arabic architecture of Marrakech. When its construction was used limestone, stone and cedar. Somewhat later, the mosque minaret, a tower, whose height is 40 meters. The minaret can be seen from almost all points of the city.

Visit the mosque can only Muslims, people of other faiths for the entrance to it is prohibited. Therefore, appreciate the beauty of the architectural structure, unfortunately, only outside. For non-Muslims still remains a mystery, how actually looks like the interior of the mosque.