A city built over centuries
Read this chronology as an introduction to the place you are visiting. It brings together a few documented moments, with links for further reading. It is a history of the palace and its setting; Apollo Trading UG’s booking service has a separate, contemporary role.
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11th century · The beginnings of Marrakesh
The Almoravids founded Marrakesh in the 11th century. The city would become an influential political and cultural centre. This early chapter provides the starting point for understanding how much history preceded Bahia Palace. UNESCO’s account of the Medina of Marrakesh.
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12th–13th centuries · The Almohad capital
Marrakesh was the Almohad capital from 1147 to 1269. The Koutoubia, Kasbah, ramparts, gates and gardens belong to the monumental history UNESCO describes. Their scale invites a different kind of looking from the close attention a palace interior rewards. Read the World Heritage description.
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16th century · The Saadian city
The Saadian period added another architectural chapter. Morocco’s National Tourist Office associates this dynasty with the Saadian Tombs, Ben Youssef Medersa and El Badi Palace in Marrakesh. Reading these names together helps distinguish separate monuments that are often encountered during the same stay. Explore Morocco’s dynastic history.
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Late 19th century · Bahia Palace
Bahia belongs to a later period than the city’s medieval foundations. Historical background prepared for UNESCO’s 1999 World Heritage Committee meeting links the palace’s development to Grand Vizier Ba Hmad during the reign of Moulay Abdelaziz. It also places Dar Si Said and Dar Mnebhi in this wider building period. Read the historical introduction in the 1999 document.
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1985 · World Heritage recognition
The Medina of Marrakesh was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The Committee’s decision emphasised the historic town’s character, including its ramparts, buildings and gardens. The designation concerns the medina; it does not describe Apollo Trading UG or endorse this booking website. Read the original inscription decision.
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2016 · A contemporary art setting
The sixth Marrakech Biennale opened at Bahia Palace on 24 February 2016, as recorded by the Moroccan National Tourist Office. This dated event adds a contemporary cultural chapter to the palace’s story. It is a historical reference, rather than an announcement of an exhibition available during your visit. Read the 2016 Biennale account.
Continue through the details
Keep one or two of these periods in mind as you read Heritage. For a closer look at surfaces, courtyards and the relationship between a building and its surroundings, continue to Building Marrakesh. Our Research page explains how to use the sources behind these introductions.