Seven Saints, Marrakech

Many religious figures are buried in Marrakech but in the seventeenth century the Moulay Ismail assigned particular significance to seven such men (loosely translated as the seven saints) with diverse backgrounds each in their own way significant to the history of Marrakech and the Kingdom of Morocco. A traditional pilgrimage has been respected since the time of Moulay Ismail in which over the course of a day pilgrims visit the seven in a particular order starting with Sidi Youssef Ben Ali in the South East of the medina and proceeding anticlockwise. 

City of the Seven Men

In the rest of Morocco Marrakech is still often known to as the City of the Seven Men and a trip to Marrakech could be referred to as a visit to the Seven Men. 

Sidi Youssef Ben Ali. A twelfth century leper. 

Caid Ayad. An eleventh century theologian. 

Sidi Bel Abbes. A great patron of the poor and particularly the blind in the twelfth century, even today food is distributed regularly at his tomb or Zaouia. The most important of the Seven, sometimes referred to as the Patron Saint of Marrakech. 

Sidi Ben Slimane. A descendant of the prophet Mohammed and renowned sixteenth century theologian. 

Sidi Abd El Aziz. A fifteenth century theologian. His mausoleum is very near to Rue Baroudiyine a short walk from Marrakech Riad Cinnamon. 

Sidi Moulay el Ksour. A follower of Sidi Abdel Aziz who led the resistance to the Portugese when they attacked Marrakech in the early sixteenth century. 

Sidi Es Souheili. A twelfth century scholar of Islamic law.