Hassan Tower, Rabat (must see)

The Hassan Tower (Tour Hassan) is the unfinished minaret of an ambitious mosque project commissioned by Abu Yusuf Yaqub al-Mansur, the third caliph of the Almohad Caliphate, in the late 12th century. Intended to be the tallest minaret in the world and part of what would have been the largest mosque in the western Islamic world, the project was abruptly halted in 1199 upon the caliph’s death. What remains today is a 44-meter-tall minaret, the unfinished mosque’s 348 columns, and portions of its walls, forming a historical and architectural complex alongside the modern Mausoleum of Mohammed V.

Al-Mansur of the Almohad dynasty envisioned Rabat as a grand capital, naming it Ribat al-Fath. His plan included fortifications, monumental gates, and an immense mosque, with Hassan Tower as its highlight. Inspired by the Koutoubia Mosque, Seville's Giralda, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria, it featured ramps instead of stairs for a horseback ascent. Had it been completed, the mosque would have surpassed the Great Mosque of Córdoba in size, with stone columns replacing the usual Almohad brick piers—a challenge that may have led to its abandonment. Its design also included three inner courtyards for added light and airflow.

Though incomplete, the mosque suffered additional damage during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, leading to the further collapse of its structure. In the 20th century, both French colonial and Moroccan archaeologists worked to preserve and reconstruct the site. In the 1960s, the area was transformed to accommodate the Mausoleum of Mohammed V, completed in 1971 under the design of Vietnamese architect Cong Vo Toan. The Hassan Tower site was later inscribed as part of Rabat’s UNESCO World Heritage designation in 2012.

Today, the Hassan Tower stands as a red ochre sandstone relic of a grand Almohad vision, visible from afar due to its strategic placement overlooking the Bu Regreg River. Despite its unfinished state, its ornate sebka patterns, engaged columns, and horseshoe-shaped windows remain a testament to the architectural ambition of the Almohads. Along with the nearby mausoleum, it serves as one of Rabat’s most significant historical and touristic landmarks.