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The gardens of Agdal, conceived in the XIIth century under the reign of the Al Mohade sovereign Abd El Moumen, are the oldest gardens of Marrakech.

The first trees of the garden were planted there in the XIIth century by the Al Mohades, but the current shape of the gardens, as well as the enclosing walls, date only from the XIXth century, as it was in 1840 that Abd El Rahman the Ist planted the olive grove and then built pisé walls all around it to protect it. Hundreds of pomegranates, lemon, orange, fig, apricot, and other olive trees extend on more than 500 hectares, and are irrigated by several tanks supplied with water from the High Atlas. This system of irrigation is a testimony of the technological genius of the Al Mohades. It is based on the system of the ‘khettaras’.

The Agdal gardens are considered to be richer than those of the Menara, and have several pavilions. The palace Dar El Hana – which is a ruined palace remained from the time of the Saadians – offers a panoramic sight of the chain of the High Atlas beyond the gardens, from its terrace. The palace is at the edge of the large water basin: Es Sala. Inside the garden one finds a kiosk with columns that has a magnificently decorated ceiling, surmounted by turquoise glazed tiles.

The splendid landscape reflected on the water of the basins filled with carps offers a fabulous sight. The orchard is also to be admired, being in a good state thanks to several restorations.

The Agdal gardens are 4 kilometres far from the famous place of Jemaa El Fna at the southern end of the Medina, and touch in the south the zone of the palace Dar El Makhzen. Today, these gardens extend on several kilometres on the south of the Royal Palace.

The Agdal gardens are open only on Friday afternoons and Sundays.