The Kasbah is the fortified quarter of Marrakesh, built by the Almohad sultan Yacoub al-Mansour in the 12th century and expanded by the Saadian dynasty in the 16th. It sits immediately south of Jemaa el-Fnaa, separated from the main medina by the great Bab Agnaou gate — one of the finest decorated gates in Morocco. Inside, the quarter was historically the preserve of the sultan and his court, and today it retains a quieter, less touristed character than the surrounding souks.
The Saadian Tombs, hidden and sealed by the Alaouite dynasty for two centuries and only rediscovered by aerial survey in 1917, are the Kasbah's principal attraction — an extraordinary mausoleum decorated with Italian marble, cedar woodwork, and zellij tile that survived neglect through sheer obscurity. The Kasbah Mosque's minaret is another Almohad masterpiece, sister to the Koutoubia. The streets around both are lined with small riads and the neighbourhood houses fewer tourists per square metre than almost anywhere else within the walls.