Esplanade Daylight
A daylight portrait pairs the column field with the tall tower and open sky.
Hassan Tower
A visit worth keeping.
Visit and verify your arrival in Unlocked to keep this badge and your visit date in your free Passport. No subscription.
The 44-metre Almohad minaret of an unfinished mosque rises above a field of unfinished columns on an open esplanade beside the Bou Regreg.
Get the app to collectExplore the three photo ExperiencesRead the Hassan Tower photo guide
Photo guide
Photographing Hassan Tower: light, spots and crowds.
Checked October 14, 2026 against the sources listed here. Hours, access and rules change, so recheck the official source before you go.
- Best light
- Late afternoon gives the tower the most depth. Its walls sit about 24 degrees off the compass points, with the field of column stumps spreading to the south-southeast, so when you look back at the tower from the field, the afternoon sun lights its west-southwest side while the face toward you slips into side light or shade, and the stumps throw long shadows. Visit Rabat lists daytime hours that end before sunset for most of the year, so aim for the last hours before closing rather than sunset itself.
- Crowds
- Lonely Planet says August is Rabat's busiest month for domestic tourism and that many international visitors come from March to June and September to November. Visit Rabat describes the gardens below the esplanade as a favorite stroll for Rabat families.
- Entry
- The tower stands on an open esplanade shared with the Mausoleum of Mohammed V. Visit Rabat lists it as open daily during daytime hours and does not mention a ticket; check current hours on Visit Rabat before you go.
Where to stand
- The column field on the esplanade
Walk among the rows of unfinished column stumps south of the tower and use them as foreground. They show the scale of the mosque that was never completed, with the 44-meter tower rising behind.
- Hassan Tower Garden, toward the river
These public gardens on Boulevard Mohammed El Yazidi look out over the last bend of the Bou Regreg toward the Kasbah of the Udayas and the Salé medina. Turn back toward the tower in the morning, when the sun is on its east-northeast side.
- The Mausoleum of Mohammed V platform
From the raised platform at the esplanade's southeast corner, look back northwest across the column field to the tower. From late morning in winter to early afternoon in summer, the sun is behind you and lights the tower's south-southeast face straight on.
Photo rules
- Flying a drone in Morocco needs prior permission from the civil aviation authority (DGAC); UK travel advice warns of fines and confiscation without it.
- UK travel advice: always ask permission before photographing people, especially children.
Sources
Frame Hassan Tower from a permitted visitor viewpoint.
Use the open esplanade and column field from permitted visitor positions; the tower itself is not climbable.
The esplanade is an open heritage site shared with the adjacent Mausoleum of Mohammed V; each Landmark keeps its own arrival check.
Check the Landmark map and confirm your unlock while nearby. A distant view does not establish arrival at this point.
Three ways to remember Hassan Tower.
Choose a curated Experience after you unlock this Landmark. The previews show creative directions, not customer results. Memories are generated interpretations, not documentary photographs of the scene.
Almohad Stonework
A closer portrait studies the tower’s carved horseshoe arches and stone bands.
Hassan Tower on Film
A monochrome portrait studies the tower, columns and esplanade shadows.
Be there first.
Create when you’re ready.
Unlocked checks your current location when you choose Unlock. It does not need to track your route in the background. Your reference photos and Memories stay private.
How your photos and location are handledVisit Hassan Tower.
Open the Landmark in the app while you are in its supported area.
Collect your badge.
Allow the location check and confirm the Landmark is unlocked before leaving. Your badge and visit date join your free Passport permanently.
Choose your Experience.
Add your reference photos and create a Memory now or later. Your first GPS-verified Landmark unlock grants one welcome credit for your first Memory.
Before you choose.
How do I unlock Hassan Tower?
Visit the supported arrival area and choose Unlock. The server checks a current location sample; a confirmed visit earns a permanent badge for free. Follow local access rules and confirm the unlock before leaving.
Does an Experience include admission or a photo session?
No. Venue admission, transport, visitor access and physical photo sessions are separate. An Experience creates an optional private generated Memory after your verified visit.
Do I need the light shown in the preview?
No. These are illustrative generated previews of creative photographic treatments. A location check establishes nearby presence, not the pictured light or visitor conditions.
Your next badge starts here.
Check app availability before your trip, then complete your Landmark unlock while you are there.