Originally built in 1866 and 1867 for Si Moussa, a former slave who became Grand Vizir of the Sultan, the Bahia Palace is popular with Marrakesh's many visitors. The lavish carved stucco and cedarwood decor, zellig-tiled fireplaces and floors, wrought iron windows, gardens and mosaics are very photogenic, if you can get a clear view through the throng. If nothing else, you should be able to admire the extraordinary ceilings. With an entry fee of just 70 dirhams, the Palace is priced to draw the crowds.
Set over two acres in the Marrakech medina, the Palace features 150 rooms, including a harem just off the expansive Court of Honour. The complex housed the Resident General during the French Protectorate era, but became a royal residence when Morocco gained independence from France in 1956. The King later transferred the building to the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, and it became a tourist attraction.
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