Saadian Tombs

The Saadian tombs at Marrakech date from the 14th century, although they were significantly expanded to honor the deaths of Sultan Mohamed Sheikh and his son and successor Amad al-Manr.

A park surrounds the mausoleum, which has over 100 mosaic-covered monuments. In 1603 Amad al-Manr was buried in the middle Hall of Twelve Chambers.

Sultan Moulay Ismail's attempts to erase vestiges of the former dynasty nearly destroyed the Saadian tombs in the 18th century. Thankfully, the new sultan decided to keep the graves intact. However, the mausoleum was hidden from the world until 1917, when it was discovered by a French aerial survey.

Location: Marrakech, Morocco