Tin Mal Mosque

Tin Mal was where the Almohad movement began: Ibn Tumart established himself in this remote valley in the 1120s and from here his followers took Marrakech and eventually most of North Africa and Spain. The mosque was built about 1156 to commemorate him, and it survived - roofless and without its ceiling, but with its brick arcades, mihrab and minaret standing - because the place was abandoned and there was nothing here to reuse the stone for. It is one of only two mosques in Morocco that non-Muslims have been able to enter, precisely because it is no longer in use. The plan and the arch forms are the clearest surviving statement of Almohad architecture. The mosque was seriously damaged in the September 2023 earthquake, whose epicentre was close by, with parts of the structure collapsing; restoration has been announced and access has been restricted since.

What you actually see

• Where the Almohads began - the movement's base in the 1120s before it took Marrakech.
• An 1156 memorial mosque - roofless, with arcades, mihrab and minaret surviving.
• Enterable by non-Muslims - one of two in Morocco, because it is no longer in use.
• 2023 earthquake damage - parts collapsed, with restoration announced.

When to go

Spring and autumn - but check current access first. An hour.

Honest expectations

The mosque was badly damaged in 2023 and access has been restricted; confirm before driving out. The Tizi n'Test road is narrow and slow. There are no facilities at the site. Surrounding villages are still rebuilding.

Nearby

Ijoukak and the Agoundis valley are north; the Tizi n'Test is south.