The Badi' Palace was constructed within the Qasba of Marrakech during the reign of the Sa'did ruler Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Shaykh al-Mansur (r. 1578-1603). Once known as "the Incomparable," the palace's symmetrical plan consists of chambers and pavilions arranged around a large central courtyard. Water and vegetation are the dominant elements in this central space; four gardens flank the rectangular pool that forms the central axis of the courtyard.
The palace was constructed of brick and richly decorated with glazed tile revetment, marble columns, carved stucco, and carved wooden ceilings. In the late seventeenth century the 'Alawid ruler Moulay Isma'il ordered the destruction of the palace, and today its ruined walls, pavilions, and pools suggest its former grandeur.
Sources:
Bhachem-Benkirane, Narjess and Philippe Saharoff. 1990. Marrakech: Demeures et Jardins Secrets. Paris: ACR Edition, 44-48.
Macconi, Ennio. 1995. "Palacio el-Badi." Marrakech. Florence: Casa Editrice Bonechi, 25-29.
Triki, Hamid. 1986. Marrakesh. Singapore: Marka Print Pte Ltd, 24-25.
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