Koutoubia Mosque is the largest in Marrakech and the city's principal landmark. Although it is closed to non-Muslims, its impressive structure is still worth a look from the outside and the surrounding area is ideal for an evening stroll.
The minaret was completed during the reign of Yacoub el-Mansour (1184-1199) and, as the ultimate structure of its kind, it was used as a model for the Giralda of Seville and the Hassan Tower of Rabat. The tower is 69 metres high and houses six rooms, one on top of the other. A ramp leads around them, allowing access up to the balcony. The top of the tower is adorned with four copper globes, one of which was donated by the wife of Yacoub el-Mansour as compensation for failing to fast for one day during Ramadan.