Mausoleum of Mohammed V
A white marble mausoleum on the Hassan esplanade in Rabat, built over eleven years by four hundred craftsmen.
Updated 18 October 2026
UNESCO World Heritage
The mausoleum was built between 1961 and 1971 to hold the tomb of Mohammed V and, later, those of his sons, and it was designed by the Vietnamese architect Vo Toan working with Moroccan craftsmen - about four hundred of them, in a deliberate exercise in demonstrating that the traditional trades were alive. The building is white Italian marble under a green-tiled pyramid roof, with a carved cedar ceiling, plaster and zellige inside, and the tombs on a lower floor in white onyx, viewed from a gallery that runs round above them so visitors look down. It is open to all, unlike almost every other religious building in Morocco, and there are royal guards in ceremonial dress at the entrances. It stands on the esplanade of the twelfth-century Hassan mosque, whose incomplete minaret and forest of broken columns are alongside, and the two together are the UNESCO-listed core of Rabat.
History
King Mohammed V died in 1961, and his son Hassan II commissioned the mausoleum from the Vietnamese architect Cong Vo Toan, who used traditional forms in modern materials; its rich materials and old crafts were meant to honour the king and to recall his efforts to encourage traditional craftsmanship as part of Moroccan identity. Building began in 1961, along with work on the esplanade of the ruined Almohad mosque of the Hassan Tower, and was completed in 1971, when the king's body was moved here; his son Prince Abdallah was buried here in 1983, and Hassan II on his death in 1999 (Wikipedia, Mausoleum of Mohammed V).
Highlights
- A viewing gallery - tombs in white onyx on the floor below, looked down on from above.
- Four hundred craftsmen - a deliberate demonstration of the living traditional trades.
- Green tile on white marble - a pyramid roof over an Italian marble box.
- The Hassan esplanade - the unfinished twelfth-century minaret and columns alongside.
When to go
October to April. An hour, combined with the Hassan Tower.
What to expect
It is a modern building, completed in 1971, not a historic one. Dress modestly - it is a working mausoleum. Guards are ceremonial but photographing them closely is discouraged. The esplanade is exposed with no shade.
Nearby
The Hassan Tower is on the same esplanade; the Kasbah of the Udayas is west.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q219028, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Mausoleum of Mohammed V
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon
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