page_title: Kasbah of Marrakesh
section_title: Alaouite period to present
hierarchical_section_title: Kasbah of Marrakesh / History / Alaouite period to present
caption_attribution_description: English: Marrakech, Medina, Kasbah
context_page_description: The Kasbah of Marrakesh is a large walled district in the southern part of the medina of Marrakesh, Morocco, which historically served as the citadel and royal palace complex of the city. A large part of the district is still occupied by the official royal palace which serves as the residence of the King of Morocco when visiting the city, while the rest is occupied by other neighbourhoods and monuments.
context_section_description: After the decline of the Saadian dynasty the kasbah was severely neglected in turn, as the Alaouite dynasty that followed them rarely used Marrakesh as their capital. Moulay Isma'il, in particular, plundered the Saadian palaces for materials (such as marble) to use in his own palace and kasbah that he was building in Meknes. The Badi Palace became a ruin, though the Saadian Tombs were still used as royal necropolis for some members of the Alaouite royal family. There were notable exceptions to this relative neglect such as the reign of Moulay Muhammad ibn Abdallah, who ruled Marrakesh as governor for his father from 1746 and then used it as his unofficial capital as sultan between 1757 and 1790. He undertook new construction of palaces and gardens, as well as building a new mosque, the Barrima Mosque. He also expanded or developed the Kasbah on its south side, creating a number of new mechouars (walled squares) as part of the approach to the royal palace, whose entrance was now reoriented to the south (as opposed to the west, as it was in Almohad and Saadian times).
  Up to the late 19th century and early 20th century, the kasbah was still the center of power in Marrakesh and wealthy government ministers also built their own palaces and mansions near it. The most famous of these is Bahia Palace, later turned into a royal palace. The Agdal Gardens were also maintained and occasionally replanted, with new royal pavilions constructed within them and even new fortifications constructed on their west side.
caption: One of the minor gates to the Dar al-Makhzen (the current Royal Palace), on the east side of the Badi Palace.
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