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All Morocco Salé Sidi Ben Achir Cemetery
AO Edited

Sidi Ben Achir Cemetery

An immense coastal necropolis with an outstanding view of the nearby kasbah

Salé, Morocco

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Max Cortesi
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View of Sidi Ben Achir Cemetery from Kasbah des Oudayas   Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
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About

One of the most prominent cemeteries in Salé is the Sidi Ben Achir Cemetery, located along the Atlantic coast. This vast necropolis is named after Sidi Ben Achir, a revered 14th-century Sufi saint whose mausoleum is located at the north-eastern corner of its grounds. What make this cemetery unique is its massive size and picturesque location, with the ocean to the east and Kasbah des Oudayas to the south. The tombs of Sufi saints and revered figures within the cemetery attract pilgrims and visitors seeking blessings and spiritual guidance. This cemetery serves as places of reflection and contemplation. The intricate tombstones and mausoleums within the cemetery showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of Moroccan artisans.

To be precise, this enormous necropolis comprises of three sections, namely Sidi Ben Achir, Maalka and Sidi Abdallah Benhassoun cemeteries, but they are contiguous, and their boundaries are not always clearly defined.  This is why they are often considered as one entity and referred to by the name of the biggest cemetery: Sidi Ben Achir. The distance from Bab Jdid, the main gate at the southern corner, to the unnamed northernmost point is about 850 meters, and the width of the cemetery varies from 100 to 250 meters at its widest.  This means that the combined area covered by this necropolis is about 13.5 hectares.  Several roads cut this vast expanse of tombs into different sections, each navigable through dozens of narrow pathways.

The number of people buried in these grounds is in the tens of thousands, but precise figures are not available.  What is certain is that the variety in size, decoration, and color of these tombstones reflects the complex mosaic that is the Salé community.

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Mausoleums Cemeteries

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Bab Jdid, the main gate, is located on the southernmost tip of the cemetery, next to the Sheikh Mohamed ben Rachid al Maktoum Mosque. The guardian of this gate often turns away non-Muslim visitors. On the other hand, Bab Malaga and the northernmost gate opening onto Avenue Sidi Ben Achir are usually unguarded. It is possible to admire the cemetery without entering, from the fortified wall; several sets of steps leading to the upper sections of the wall can be found along Avenue Moulay Ali Cherif.  These upper sections are uneven and unprotected, and you may want to steer clear of them if you have fear of heights.

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Max Cortesi

Published

May 16, 2025

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Sidi Ben Achir Cemetery
Av. Hassan II
Salé
Morocco
34.039775, -6.830075
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Borj Adoumoue

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