Palais de la Bahia, Marrakesh

In the second part of the 19th century, Grand Vizier Sidi Moussa and, after him, Grand Vizier Bou Ahmed, built this palace, which took decades to complete. It encompasses 150 rooms, where Bou Ahmed lived with his four wives and 24 concubines. Under the French Protectorate, it became the residence for the French authorities. The palace consists of a series of private apartments and reception rooms around patios, the layout intending to preserve the privacy of the palace's inhabitants. Not every part of the palace is open to the public, but quite enough for a visitor to appreciate its grandness: a big marble patio, multiple fountains, zellij, woodwork and stucco decorations and a luxurious garden.