Hassan Tower

Hassan Tower is the incomplete minaret of a large mosque project started in the late 12th century in Rabat, Morocco. Construction began under Sultan Yacoub al‑Mansour but halted at his death, leaving a prominent unfinished tower and mosque ruins.

Visitors see the square minaret shaft rising above a platform of columns and the deserted mosque area of cut pillars and foundations. Adjacent to the tower is the 20th‑century Mausoleum of Mohammed V, a finished funerary building containing royal tombs and often visited with the tower.

Initiated around 1195 as part of an ambitious mosque and imperial complex, work ceased on the death of the patron in 1199; the incomplete minaret remains as a large, intact shaft and symbolic monument to the original plan. The modern mausoleum and mosque ruins form a single visitor complex.

The complex sits on the banks of the Bou Regreg in Rabat, within the capital’s historic district and easily reached from central Rabat.

• Construction history: Construction began in 1195 and work stopped on the death of Sultan Yacoub al‑Mansour in 1199, leaving the minaret unfinished at about 44 metres.
• Setting: Located on the Bou Regreg riverfront in Rabat, the site is part of the historic core of Morocco’s capital and a frequent stop on city tours.

What to See#

• Hassan Tower: The unfinished minaret itself, standing roughly 44 metres high and built of red sandstone and brick in the Almohad/Almohad‑influenced style.
• Mausoleum and mosque ruins: The surrounding unfinished mosque ruins and the modern Mausoleum of Mohammed V, the latter housing royal tombs and completed in the 20th century.

Hassan Tower is in Rabat’s city center, near the Bouregreg riverbank. From Rabat-Ville train station it’s a 15-20 minute walk or a short taxi ride. The site is well signposted from major avenues.

• Visit in the late afternoon for softer light on the unfinished minaret and the nearby Oudayas district.
• Pair a visit with the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and the old medina; the trio gives a fuller picture of Rabat's 12th-century and modern history.
• Expect security checkpoints and bag checks in the area; carry identification.