The Koutoubia

Visible from afar, the Koutoubia is the landmark which provided the focus point for urban planner Henri Prost when he laid the modern neighbourhood of Guéliz. The koutoubia is clearly visible as, unlike the Qarawiyin Mosque in Fes, it is set apart from the dense building from the old town. A fairly unlikely legend goes that this structure overlooked the Harem, only a blind Muezzen was allowed to climb it to call the faithful to prayers.The name Koutoubia derives from the Arabic kutub, books, and means the 'booksellers mosque' no doubt reflecting the fact that the noble trade of selling manuscripts was conducted in a souk close to a mosque.
You will probably come to the Koutoubia Mosque as you head for Djemaa El Fna, along the avenue Mohammed V from Guéliz. The Minaret towers over a busy junction, separated from a traffic by a paved esplanade, set with palm trees, decorative street lamps adn a few ruins, bellow esplanade level. As this is a place of prayer, and in every way the most imortant mosque in the city, dress decently if you are going to approach the site to view it at length. Behind the mosque are gardens, and some nice photo opportunities.