The short answer
No. Working mosques in Marrakech, including the Koutoubia, are closed to non-Muslims. You can admire the Koutoubia's 12th-century minaret from the gardens beside it, and you can visit religious buildings that are now monuments, such as the Ben Youssef Madrasa and the Saadian Tombs. The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca offers guided visits.
In more detail
The Koutoubia minaret, about 77 m with its spire, is the landmark the whole city is measured against. The gardens around it are open at any hour, and it is floodlit after dark. The prayer hall itself is for worshippers only.
Don't take photos through open mosque doors at prayer time, and don't linger in a doorway. Admiring the entrance from the street is fine; stepping inside is not.
The Ben Youssef Madrasa, a former Koranic school, is the best way to see the carved cedar, stucco and tilework that mosques hide from view. Covered arms and legs suit the setting there, even though no dress is enforced.
Good to know
- See the Koutoubia at sunset or after dark, when it is lit.
- Mosques are busiest around Friday midday prayer.
- If someone offers to take you inside a mosque, decline.
- The Koutoubia gardens are free to walk at any hour.