Ben Youssef Medersa

The largest medersa in Morocco, this theological college could house 900 students in 130 dormitory rooms arranged around a central courtyard. Originally founded by the Marinids in the 14th century, it was rebuilt on a grand scale by the Saadian sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib in 1565. The courtyard is a textbook of Moroccan decorative arts: zellige tilework, carved stucco arabesques, and cedarwood lintels. An inscription above the entrance reads: "I was built for science and prayer by the Prince of the Faithful." It functioned as a school until 1960.