The Bahia Palace

Located in Marrakech, the Bahia Palace is steeped in history. The Bahia Palace (the beautiful or brilliant) was named after the courtesan of Ba Ahmed. At first it was built by the great Vizier Si Moussa. The objective, it is said, was to accommodate his 4 wives and 4 concubines but also the most beautiful of them, the famous Bahia.

In 1900, his son Ba Ahmed decided to make more beautiful the Moroccan architectural masterpiece built by his father, for this, he called upon the most famous Moroccan architect of the time: Mohammed ben Makki el-Misfoui, this last one took him more than 5 years of continuous work to join together the splendid riads and houses repurchased by Ba Ahmed in order to form this splendid palace that is the Bahia.

Built on the same level because of the owner’s weight disability who could not climb stairs, this immense palace where Lyautey stayed is an architectural marvel. The gardens are full of flowers and extend over several hectares. Lyautey later took up residence here for a few years and made it his main residence, finding it an enchanting place where the play of light seems to have been studied with meticulous care. Built in no less than 7 years by Ben Meki el Mifioui, an architect very inspired by the Andalusian style, this palace is one of the best preserved in Marrakech.

The Bahia Palace changed hands under the French protectorate. It is the resident general, General Lyautey, who makes it his home in Marrakech.

This palace is a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture and decorative art. Door, windows and ceilings in cedar wood chiseled and painted, walls decorated with stucco, it is composed of two large gardens, a small Riad, a small courtyard, a large marble courtyard called “Court of Honor”, a large Riad. The whole is located on the first floor. Only one apartment exists on the second floor “the menzeh”.

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Whether it is the reception rooms, the council room, the numerous rooms including that of the courtesan, the court of honor, everything is made in the purest Moroccan art with marbles coming directly from Italy, painted cedar wood ceilings, walls with colored mosaics and stuccos of great finesse, sumptuous ornaments in the smallest corners. The wealth of the master of the place was so impressive that he did not skimp on any sacrifice to make this palace a jewel of Moorish architecture where private parties were going well. Recently under restoration, it was the object of long months of work, carried out by professionals to keep the architectural spirit of the time.

How to get to the Bahia Palace

Open every day from 8:30 am to 1 pm and from 4 pm to 7 pm. Entrance fee: 20 dirhams.

Av. Imam El Ghazali, Marrakech 40000, Morocco

https://g.page/palais-de-la-bahia