Open since April 2022. If a website or guide says the medersa is closed for restoration, it is out of date. Entry is 50 MAD at the door, no booking.
Ticket prices 2026
| Visitor | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (any nationality) | 50 MAD (~€4.70) |
| Children under 12 | 10 MAD |
| Medina walking tour including the medersa (platforms) | €15–35 per person |
Cash only at the ticket window at the time of writing; the card machine and the online shop come and go. Checked October 2026 on the official site.
Opening hours
- Every day: 9:00 – 19:00 (official site). Some sources say 18:00 in winter; the last ticket is sold about 30 minutes before closing.
- Ramadan: shorter, typically 9:00 – 16:00.
- No weekly closing day.
What you see
- The entrance corridor. A long, dim passage with a carved cedar ceiling that sets the mood before the courtyard. Do not rush it.
- The courtyard. A marble basin, zellige up to shoulder height, carved stucco above, cedar at the top. Built in the 1560s by the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib; it was the largest Islamic college in North Africa, housing up to 900 students.
- The prayer hall. Through the arch at the far end, with the mihrab and the finest stucco in the building.
- The student cells. Two floors of tiny rooms around small inner courtyards. Go upstairs: the windows onto the main courtyard are the best viewpoint, and most visitors never climb.
Photo tips
- Empty courtyard: be at the door at 9:00 and go straight through the corridor. You have 15–20 minutes before the first groups.
- Light: the courtyard is in shadow early and late, evenly lit in the middle of the day. For the carved details, midday is actually better. For the basin reflection, early.
- Upstairs windows frame the courtyard; the small cells with a single window are the moody shots.
- No tripods, drones or commercial shoots without a permit. Phones and cameras are fine.
Getting there
- From Jemaa el-Fna: 15 minutes north through the souks. Head up Souk Semmarine, keep going north, and follow signs for "Medersa Ben Youssef" and the Musée de Marrakech. If you get lost, that is normal; ask a shopkeeper, not someone who approaches you.
- Taxis cannot enter this part of the Medina. Nearest drop-off is Bab Doukkala or Place Ben Salah, then 10 minutes on foot.
- Nearby: the Almoravid Koubba (small, 12th century, same ticket office area), the Musée de Marrakech, the Maison de la Photographie (5 minutes, great rooftop café), and Le Jardin Secret (8 minutes).
Ben Youssef Medersa: frequently asked questions
How much is the Ben Youssef Medersa ticket?
50 MAD per adult, 10 MAD for children under 12. The medersa is run by a foundation, not the Ministry, which is why it is cheaper than Bahia or Badi. Cash only at the time of writing.
Can I book Ben Youssef Medersa online?
The official site has an online ticketing module, but it has been "under maintenance" for long stretches. In practice you buy at the entrance. There is rarely a queue longer than 10 minutes.
Is Ben Youssef Medersa open? I heard it was closed.
It was closed for restoration from 2018 to April 2022 and has been fully open since. Some older blog posts and map listings still say closed; ignore them.
How long do you need at the medersa?
30–45 minutes. It is one large courtyard, a prayer hall and 130 tiny student rooms on two floors. Photographers can spend longer waiting for the courtyard to empty.
Can non-Muslims enter?
Yes. It has not been a working religious school since 1960 and is open to everyone. The Ben Youssef Mosque next door is a working mosque and is not open to non-Muslims.
