01Historic
Chellah Necropolis
The oldest layer of the city: the Roman port of Sala Colonia, overlaid in the 14th century by a Merinid royal necropolis of mosque, minaret and tombs, now a wild walled garden watched over by storks.
Rabat, MoroccoConcierge · 7 Days · 9–21H GMT+1
Things to do · Rabat
Things to do in Rabat
Few capitals pack so much history into so small a space. Rabat layers a Roman port, an Almohad imperial vision, a Merinid necropolis, a Barbary corsair republic and a French-built modern city — most of it inscribed by UNESCO as the model of a city blending past and present. For history lovers, here is the capital's story told through its monuments.
8 experiences
The best of Rabat
02Historic
Hassan Tower
The unfinished minaret of a colossal mosque begun in 1195 by the Almohad sultan Yacoub al-Mansour, intended to be the largest in the world and abandoned at 44 metres on his death — the symbol of Rabat's imperial ambition.
03Historic
Kasbah of the Udayas
A 12th-century Almohad fortress above the river mouth, later home to Andalusian refugees and the Barbary corsairs of the Republic of Bou Regreg. Its Bab Oudaia gate is a masterpiece of Almohad stonework.
04Historic
Mausoleum of Mohammed V
The 20th-century resting place of Morocco's modern kings, facing the Hassan Tower. Its carved cedar, zellij and gilded dome carry the Almohad heritage forward into the era of independence.
05Historic
Almohad City Walls
Long stretches of the 12th-century ramparts still ring the old city, pierced by monumental gates such as Bab er-Rouah, the 'Gate of the Winds', one of the finest surviving Almohad gateways in Morocco.
06Culture
The Medina & Corsair Past
Rabat's 17th-century medina was largely laid out by Moriscos expelled from Spain, who, with Salé, ran the pirate Republic of Bou Regreg. Its grid and Andalusian houses still reflect that refugee origin.
07Architecture
Ville Nouvelle & the Protectorate
When France made Rabat the capital in 1912, architect Henri Prost laid out a new town of art deco and Mauresque boulevards beside the old city — a planned modern layer that completes the UNESCO ensemble.
08Culture
UNESCO World Heritage Rabat
In 2012 UNESCO inscribed 'Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City' for the way it weaves Almohad, Andalusian and 20th-century layers into one living whole — a rare model of heritage and modern planning combined.
Frequently asked
Why is Rabat a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Rabat was inscribed by UNESCO in 2012 as 'Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City' for the way it blends Almohad ramparts and monuments, an Andalusian-influenced medina and a 20th-century French-built new town into a single coherent city.
What are the must-see historic sites in Rabat?
The essential monuments are the Kasbah of the Udayas, the Hassan Tower, the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the Chellah necropolis and the Almohad city walls and gates such as Bab er-Rouah.
How old is Rabat?
The site dates back to the Roman port of Sala Colonia, with the present city founded as a fortified ribat by the Almohads in the 12th century. It became Morocco's capital in 1912 under the French protectorate.
What was the Republic of Bou Regreg?
In the 17th century Rabat and Salé formed the corsair Republic of Bou Regreg, run by Moriscos expelled from Spain, whose pirate fleets preyed on Atlantic shipping. The medina's layout still reflects this refugee history.
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