Hassan Tower, Minaret in Rabat, Morocco.
Hassan Tower is a minaret in Rabat, Morocco, standing beside the remains of hundreds of columns that were meant to support a grand mosque. Its four facades display detailed stone carvings with geometric patterns and arches, glowing in warm red and ochre tones.
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 refers to Sultan Hassan, and the grounds serve today as a symbolic gathering space for state ceremonies. Visitors often see families walking among the old column remains and taking photos against the pink stone.
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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