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Free entry — all faiths welcome
Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Rabat
Morocco's most visited royal monument — a marble-and-zellij masterpiece beside Hassan Tower, open to every visitor free of charge. Here is everything you need to plan your visit.
Sofia Marín· Coast, North & Practical Travel Editor
Spanish travel writer based in Tangier who criss-crosses northern Morocco and the Atlantic coast by bus, train and ferry. She covers Chefchaouen, Tangier, Essaouira and the practical side of getting around. Tangier · 10+ years covering Morocco
Published 14 July 2024 Last updated 19 April 2026
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is, without question, the single most architecturally spectacular site in Rabat — and the fact that it costs nothing to enter and welcomes visitors of every faith makes it all the more remarkable. It sits at the northern end of the Hassan Tower esplanade, a vast open plaza where the columns of an unfinished 12th-century mosque still stand in near-perfect rows. The mausoleum building went up beside them between 1962 and 1971, designed by the Vietnamese architect Vo Toan and built by Moroccan craftsmen using techniques that have not changed in centuries.
Inside you will find the tombs of King Mohammed V — the nationalist leader who brought Morocco its independence from France in 1956 — alongside those of his sons King Hassan II and Prince Moulay Abdallah. The carved cedarwood ceiling, the hand-cut zellij tiles climbing to the dome, and the motionless Royal Guard in full dress ceremony combine into something that is simultaneously a religious site, a national monument, and a jaw-dropping demonstration of what Moroccan craft can do.
Give it an hour. Pair it with a slow walk around the Hassan Tower ruins. Come in the morning if you can.
Time needed
1 – 1.5 hours
Entry fee
Free (all faiths)
Location
Hassan Esplanade, Rabat
Best months
Oct – Apr
What you will see inside
The interior is compact — roughly the footprint of a large mosque prayer hall — but every surface is intentional. Here are the four things that stop most visitors in their tracks.
Carved cedarwood ceiling
The dome above the tombs is a masterwork of Moroccan woodcraft — painted in geometric patterns that reference Andalusian palace traditions. Look up as soon as you enter.
Zellij tilework
The lower walls are entirely covered in hand-cut mosaic tiles in the deep greens, whites and blues that Moroccan craftsmen call the "royal palette". The precision is extraordinary up close.
Royal Guard ceremony
Soldiers in red-and-green dress uniform stand motionless beside the tombs throughout opening hours. A guard change happens periodically — if you time it right, the ceremony is worth lingering for.
White Carrara marble tombs
The sarcophagi are Italian Carrara marble, deliberately austere against the decorative walls. Mohammed V's tomb sits at the centre, elevated slightly. A Quran reader often chants softly from a gallery above.
Combining the Mausoleum with Hassan Tower
The two sites share the same esplanade and the same entry gate — you would have to actively avoid one to visit only the other, so plan for both in a single visit.
Hassan Tower is the minaret of an enormous 12th-century mosque begun by Almohad Sultan Yacoub al-Mansour and left unfinished at his death in 1199. Had it been completed it would have been the tallest minaret in the world. What stands today — a 44-metre red-sandstone tower — is still imposing, and the esplanade around it is filled with around 200 columns that were intended to support the mosque roof. Wandering among them at low-angled morning light is one of Rabat's genuinely memorable experiences.
A practical note on sequencing: enter the esplanade from the Boulevard Mohammed V side, walk the columns first while energy is high, then move toward the mausoleum. The guard of honour changes on a rough schedule — ask at the gate if a change is due soon, because it takes about five minutes and is worth watching.
From here, the nearby Kasbah of the Udayas is a 15-minute walk north along the river bluff. The medina and Chellah ruins fill out a comfortable full-day Rabat circuit without needing transport between them.
Getting there and practical information
| Address | Avenue Hassan II (Hassan Esplanade), Rabat-Salé |
| Opening hours | Daily, approximately 08:30 – 18:00 (indicative; closed during Friday prayers) |
| Entry fee | Free |
| From Rabat Ville train station | ~15-minute walk north, or a 5-minute petit taxi (indicative 15–20 MAD) |
| From Rabat Agdal station | ~25-minute walk or 10-minute taxi (indicative 20–25 MAD) |
| Nearest tram stop | Hassan (Rabat tramway Line 1) |
| Parking | Limited paid parking along Boulevard Mohammed V; easier to arrive by tram or taxi |
| Photography | Permitted on the esplanade; inside the mausoleum, check with guards on the day |
Dress code reminder
Cover shoulders and knees before entering. Headscarves for women are welcome but not mandatory. If you are arriving direct from a beach day and have shorts and sandals, vendors outside the gate sell lightweight wraps for around 20–40 MAD (indicative). Guards at the mausoleum door will politely turn away visitors who are not appropriately covered.
Is a guide worth it here?
You can walk the Hassan esplanade and the mausoleum without a guide and still appreciate the scale and the craft. But a knowledgeable guide adds real depth: the symbolic choices in the architecture, the Almohad history behind Hassan Tower, the political significance of Mohammed V's independence movement, and the stories of how the mausoleum craftsmen were sourced from the best ateliers in Fes and Marrakech. If you are visiting Rabat as a day trip from Casablanca or as part of a broader Morocco circuit, a private guide or a guided tour that includes Rabat typically costs from around 300–600 MAD per person (indicative, depending on group size and inclusions). The private route means you linger where you want and skip what you don't.
Mausoleum of Mohammed V — Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Mausoleum of Mohammed V free to visit?
Yes — entry is completely free. There is no ticket booth and no timed-entry system. You simply pass through the perimeter gate, walk across the Hassan Tower esplanade, and enter the mausoleum building. A small donation box sits inside if you wish to contribute. Budget nothing for admission, though a guide to explain the architectural symbolism is worth hiring separately from the nearby medina or through your tour operator.
What is the dress code for visiting the Mausoleum of Mohammed V?
Both men and women should cover shoulders and knees. Loose trousers and a light long-sleeved shirt work for both genders in any season. Women are not required to wear a headscarf inside, though many visitors choose to. Sleeveless tops, shorts and beachwear will likely draw a quiet request to cover up from the guards at the door. If you arrive underprepared, light scarves and wraps are sold by vendors at the entrance.
Can non-Muslims enter the Mausoleum of Mohammed V?
Yes — unlike many active mosques in Morocco, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V is open to visitors of all faiths. This is unusual and worth highlighting: non-Muslims are permitted to enter the main hall and view the white Carrara marble sarcophagus of King Mohammed V and, to his sides, those of his sons King Hassan II and Prince Moulay Abdallah. The only restriction is that visitors must behave respectfully and keep voices low. Photography inside is generally tolerated but check with the guards on your visit day.
How long does a visit to the Mausoleum of Mohammed V take?
The mausoleum itself takes 20–30 minutes to absorb properly — the interior is compact but densely detailed, with a carved cedarwood ceiling, zellij tilework climbing the walls, and the Royal Guard standing in full dress uniform around the marble tombs. Combine it with a walk around the Hassan Tower esplanade and you are looking at 1–1.5 hours total. Factor another 30 minutes if you want to photograph the tower and its 200-odd unfinished columns at golden hour.
Who is buried in the Mausoleum of Mohammed V?
Three members of the Alaoui dynasty are interred here. King Mohammed V, who led Morocco to independence from France in 1956 and is revered as the father of the modern nation, occupies the central tomb. His son King Hassan II — who reigned from 1961 until his death in 1999 — rests to one side, and Prince Moulay Abdallah, another son of Mohammed V, to the other. The building was completed in 1971, seven years after Mohammed V died in 1961.
When is the best time to visit the Mausoleum of Mohammed V?
Early morning (8–10 am) is the most rewarding window: the crowds are thin, the guards are crisp in ceremony, and the low morning light bounces off the white marble in a way that afternoon sun simply does not replicate. The site is busiest mid-morning and around midday when organised tours arrive from Casablanca. Friday afternoons see more local families visiting, which has its own atmosphere. Avoid the hottest hours in July and August — the esplanade offers no shade and midday temperatures regularly exceed 35°C.
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