Tomb of Ibn Battuta

Modest tomb of the 14th-century traveller in the medina

The tomb of Ibn Battuta — arguably the greatest traveller of the medieval world — sits in a small whitewashed mausoleum down a narrow lane in the medina, just below the kasbah. After thirty years on the road covering more ground than Marco Polo, Battuta returned to his native Tangier and dictated his Rihla (Travels) at the sultan's request. He died around 1369 and is believed to be buried here, though the precise authenticity of the site is debated.

The simple shrine is open during daylight hours; the caretaker often opens the door if it is locked and accepts a modest tip. Nearby walls bear plaques marking Battuta's known routes. The site is more affecting for its quietness than its grandeur — a fitting tribute to a man who spent his life moving and is now still.

things to do sight history
A story
The 14th-century Tangerine traveller Ibn Battuta covered an estimated 117,000 kilometres over thirty years, visiting every Muslim country of his era and most of the non-Muslim ones besides — China, the Volga, the Niger River, the Maldives, India. His Rihla (Travels) remains one of history's most important first-hand records of the medieval Islamic world.

Other places in Things to Do