Originally designed as a minaret base, the Hassan Tower features charming gardens and faces the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. There’s no charge to explore the remains of the mosque, which make for an atmospheric photo, and the tower is a common stop on Rabat city tours. While the red sandstone facades impress (each side is different), as do the mosque’s marble floor and ruined columns, it’s not currently possible to climb to the top of the tower.
The Hassan Tower (Tour Hassan in French) sits beside the Mausoleum of Mohammed V above the river in downtown Rabat. It’s about a 1-mile (1.5-kilometer) walk east from Rabat’s main railway station, the Gare de Rabat-Ville. Or, catch tram line 1 to the Place 16 Novembre stop.
As it’s not possible to climb the Hassan Tower, you can visit the site at any time of day or night. Avoid Friday lunchtime, when the area can be busy for weekly prayers. The tower and columns look particularly striking at sunset, as the sky glows pink and lights illuminate the sandstone.
Although it’s the nation’s capital, Rabat is only Morocco’s 7th-largest city and lacks the cultural clout of UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Marrakech and Fez. Yet there’s more than the Hassan Tower to the city’s history scene. Don’t miss the Kasbah des Oudaias, the city’s old-time citadel, the tombs and gardens of the Chellah, and the 17th-century Medina of Rabat.