Sidi Boumediene Complex

Abu Madyan, known as Sidi Boumediene, was an Andalusian Sufi who died near Tlemcen in 1198 and became one of the most venerated figures of the western Maghreb. The Merinid sultan Abu al-Hasan built a complex over his tomb at El Eubbad in 1339: a mosque with an ornate portal of carved stucco, tile and cedar under a projecting canopy, a madrasa for students, a palace and the domed tomb itself, arranged on terraces up a steep hillside above the city. The stucco and zellij work of the mosque doorway is among the best of its period anywhere in the Maghreb, and the site remains a place of pilgrimage rather than only a monument.

What to look for

• The carved mosque portal - stucco, tile and cedar under a canopy.
• The domed tomb of Sidi Boumediene - the shrine at the centre.
• The Merinid madrasa - the teaching building beside the mosque.
• Terraces up the hillside - the complex stepped above Tlemcen.

When to go

The spring and autumn shoulder months. Two hours. It is an active pilgrimage site; visiting is outside prayer times and modest dress is required.

Practical notes

Access to the prayer hall for non-Muslims is not guaranteed. The tomb is a place of devotion and visitors should be discreet. The approach is steep. Some parts of the complex are closed or in poor repair.

Nearby

Tlemcen is below; the Mechouar palace lies in the city.