The Menara Gardens were established in 1130 by Abd al-Mu’min while he was the leader of the Almohad Movement. In 1147, he became the first Caliph of Morocco and the Almohad Empire. By the end of his reign in 1163, he ruled most of northern Africa and parts of Spain. This botanical garden has been maintained since his residency in the 12th century. The pavilion was added by the Saadi Dynasty in the 16th century and restored in 1869. On the right is an artificial pond used to irrigate the gardens. The water has been supplied from the Atlas Mountains using an underground system named a qanāt for over 700 years.
