Hassan Tower, Minaret in Rabat, Morocco
Hassan Tower is the minaret of an unfinished 12th-century mosque in Rabat, Morocco. Its square shaft of tan stone rises 44.3 meters, with each of the four facades carved in a different geometric and floral pattern. A broad band of interlaced diamonds and a shallow recessed arch frame the upper front, while a stepped base with short pillars sits at the lower left.
Construction began in 1195 under Sultan Yacoub el-Mansour as part of his project for the largest mosque of its time. Work stopped with his death in 1199, leaving only the minaret and some columns completed.
The name comes from the Banu Hassan district where the tower was built, not from a sultan; it is attested as early as the 12th century. At the tower's foot, two wide stairways lead down to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, laid out on the floor of the former minaret.
The site is open daily and free to enter, allowing visitors to walk around the tower and columns at their own pace. Late afternoon offers soft light that brings out the detail in the stonework.
The tower was originally planned to reach 80 meters in height, which would have surpassed the tallest minaret of its time. The surviving column remains now form a vast open-air field of stone bases, making the intended prayer hall visible.
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