Merinid Tombs viewpoint

Where it is & how to get there

• Taxi: About 10 minutes from Bab Boujloud; ask for "Borj Nord" or "Merinides".
• On foot: A steep 20–30 minute walk up from the north side of the medina.
• Safety: Go in a group or with a guide around dusk.

The story of the Merinid Tombs

The Marinid dynasty ruled Morocco from Fes in the 13th to 15th centuries. On the hills north of the city they built royal tombs, now ruined, which look out over the whole medina.

Next to them, the Borj Nord fortress holds a weapons museum. At sunset, the call to prayer rises from hundreds of minarets in the valley below.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• Go at sunset to hear the call to prayer.
• Bring a light jacket; it gets windy on the hill.
• Have dinner at a hotel terrace nearby with the same view.

What's around the Merinid Tombs

• Borj NordFortress with an arms museum.
• Fes el-BaliThe medina below.
• Bab GuissaNorthern gate of the medina.
• CemeteryOld cemetery on the slopes.

Questions travellers ask