The mausoleum was completed in 1971, ten years after the death of Mohammed V.
The green roof tiles are a traditional color associated with Islam and the Moroccan royal family.
The site sits on the exact location where Mohammed V led a Friday prayer service upon Morocco's return from independence.
The central cenotaph was carved from a single block of white onyx brought from Pakistan.
The marble floors throughout the mausoleum are white Italian marble.
The building is architecturally designed to blend modern construction techniques with traditional Moroccan decorative arts.
The Mausoleum of Mohammed V is an ornate architectural complex in Rabat housing the tombs of King Mohammed V and his two sons, King Hassan II and Prince Abdallah. Designed by Vietnamese architect Eric Vo Toan, the structure serves as a prime example of modern Alaouite-style Moroccan craftsmanship. The exterior is constructed from white marble topped with a distinctive green-tiled pyramidal roof. Inside, the walls feature intricate zellige tilework, carved stucco, and cedar wood ceilings adorned with gold leaf. The royal tombs are situated in the lower level, positioned below a white marble cenotaph in the main rotunda. The building stands on a raised platform within a larger plaza that includes the Hassan Tower and the remains of a 12th-century unfinished mosque. The interior rotunda is open to visitors who can view the royal sarcophagi from a surrounding gallery. Guards in traditional dress maintain a constant watch over the site.
The entrance gate and the reflection of the mausoleum against the Hassan Tower from the lower plaza level.
Look up at the ceiling in the main chamber to appreciate the detailed gold-leaf woodwork.
Walk the perimeter of the surrounding plaza to see the Hassan Tower up close.
Visit during the golden hour when the white marble exterior reflects the setting sun.
Do not attempt to walk onto the raised tomb platform itself; remain on the designated viewing gallery.
Open daily, though it may occasionally close for official state ceremonies or royal visits.
Modest dress covering shoulders and knees is strictly required; visitors must remain quiet and respectful while inside the mausoleum.
