The Mausoleum of Moulay Ali Cherif is the spiritual heart of Rissani and the founding monument of the Alaouite dynasty that has ruled Morocco since the 17th century — and which still rules it today. Moulay Ali Cherif was the patriarch of the family from whom every subsequent Moroccan sultan and king has descended, and his tomb in the Tafilalt remains a major pilgrimage site for Moroccan Muslims.
Non-Muslims may enter the outer courtyard and gardens but not the tomb chamber itself, and dress is expected to be conservative. The building is whitewashed, low, and topped with green-tiled domes characteristic of Moroccan royal architecture; the gardens are immaculate, watered from the Ziz, and a welcome cool spot in summer. Opening hours are loose; mornings are most reliable.