Art gallery · Medina
Bastion Borj Bab Marrakech
Borj Bab Marrakech, a rampart tower beside the Bab Marrakech gate, publishes no hours and no calendar. It hosts temporary exhibitions and, during the Gnaoua Festival, ticketed concerts: 300 MAD a night on 26 and 27 June 2026. Outside the festival, treat it as closed unless a poster at the gate says otherwise.
updated on
A bastion with no opening hours
Borj Bab Marrakech is a tower in the town walls, beside the Bab Marrakech gate on the south-east edge of the medina. It is not a gallery in the usual sense. There is no year-round ticket desk and no hours are published online. It takes temporary exhibitions, and the place becomes a stage during the Gnaoua Festival.
Our advice: do not build your day around it. Walk the ramparts, look for a poster at the gate and go in if something is on. Outside the festival, nothing announces an opening ahead of time.
What is published, and how to tell if it is open
The only official programme we found is the Gnaoua and World Music Festival’s. Its 2026 programme gave the Borj two concerts a night, at 19:00 and 20:30, on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 June. Entry was for ticket holders only. The festival’s ticket office lists 300 MAD a night (read on 17 October 2026).
The festival has announced its 28th edition for 24 to 26 June 2027, with no programme out yet. Our festivals section picks up the line-up as soon as it appears. For the rest of the year, neither the Ministry of Culture nor the commune publishes a calendar for the bastion. Before you make the trip, check our listings of Essaouira exhibitions.
The building, and what to avoid
Its recent history is better documented than its origins. In 2008 the tower was under restoration, with plans to turn it into a cultural venue for artists. No official source dates its construction or the end of the work.
Outside the festival, no price is published. Two things to avoid: putting the Borj into a timed itinerary, and turning up hoping for a concert with nothing announced. For a visit you can count on the same day, try the medina’s museums and galleries instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is Borj Bab Marrakech open every day?
No. Neither the Ministry of Culture nor the commune publishes any hours, and the bastion opens only for exhibitions or concerts. Outside the festival, nothing announces those openings in advance.
Is there an entry fee?
Outside the festival, no price is published. During the 2026 Gnaoua Festival, a night at the Borj cost 300 MAD from the official ticket office.
Where is Borj Bab Marrakech?
Beside the Bab Marrakech gate, on the south-east edge of the medina. Taxis stop at that gate, as they do at Bab Doukkala and Bab Sbaâ.
How do I find out what is on right now?
In June, the Gnaoua Festival’s official programme lists the Borj concerts. The rest of the year, check our exhibitions listings or look for a poster at the gate.
Which concerts did the Borj host at the 2026 Gnaoua Festival?
Two a night on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 June 2026, at 19:00 and 20:30, for ticket holders. The 28th edition is announced for 24 to 26 June 2027, with no programme published as of 17 October 2026.
Can you visit the bastion when there is no exhibition?
No source confirms it. Treat the tower as closed when nothing is programmed.