Morocco · 16th century
El Badi Palace or Badi' Palace (Arabic: قصر البديع, lit. 'Palace of Wonder/Brilliance', also frequently translated as the "Incomparable Palace") is a ruined palace in Marrakesh, Morocco. It was commissioned by the sultan Ahmad al-Mansur of the Saadian dynasty a few months after his accession in 1578, with construction and embellishment continuing throughout most of his reign. The palace, decorated with materials imported from numerous countries ranging from Italy to Mali, was used for receptions and designed to showcase the Sultan's wealth and power. It was one part of a larger Saadian palace complex occupying the Kasbah district of Marrakesh.
The palace was neglected after al-Mansur's death in 1603 and eventually fell into ruin with the decline of the Saadian dynasty. Its valuable materials, particularly marble, were stripped away and reused in other buildings throughout Morocco. Today, it is a significant tourist attraction in Marrakesh and serves as an exhibition space. Notably, the Minbar of the Kutubiyya Mosque is displayed here.
Text adapted from “El Badi Palace” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
El Badi Palace ranks #810 of 9,079 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #4 of the 42 mapped in Morocco. Founded 1578, it is older than 34% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 891 atlas entries founded in the 16th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 5,238 times in the last 60 days, more than 87% of the atlas. 3 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. See how Morocco compares in the castle statistics.
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