Koutoubia Mosque hosts La Kéchoise on 4 October
Published on 10/04/2026 at 03:32 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Koutoubia Mosque and La Kéchoise meet in Marrakesh on 4 October 2026, when the women-only race starts at Place de la Koutoubia. The landmark stands beside the route through the Medina, giving travellers a clearly identified starting point for a public sporting event.
La Kéchoise starts at Koutoubia Mosque on 4 October
The sixth edition of La Kéchoise begins at 8.30am on Sunday 4 October 2026 at Place de la Koutoubia and ends at Place des Ferblantiers. The 7 km course passes several recognised sites in Marrakesh, and participants may run or walk it, according to the La Kéchoise event details.
La Kéchoise organises the race with the Association du Grand Atlas. The programme is linked to Octobre Rose and focuses on breast cancer prevention and screening. A partner village was scheduled for 3 October at the same square, with workshops in boxing, taekwondo, Pilates, yoga and dance. The race itself remains the principal event connected with the mosque and takes place on 4 October 2026.
Koutoubia Mosque links the race to Marrakesh heritage
The square places the event beside one of Marrakesh's most recognisable monuments. UNESCO describes the Koutoubia Mosque as a major monument of the historic city and records its minaret at 77 metres. The Medina of Marrakesh, founded between 1070 and 1072 by the Almoravids, is on the World Heritage List, as documented by the UNESCO Medina description.
That setting gives La Kéchoise a route that begins at a religious monument and continues through the historic urban landscape before reaching Place des Ferblantiers. The race therefore uses the Koutoubia area as both a practical meeting point and a visible connection between contemporary public activity and Marrakesh's protected medina.
The mosque is an active place of worship, while the surrounding square and gardens provide the exterior setting seen by visitors. UNESCO identifies the minaret as an important landmark in the urban landscape and a symbol of Marrakesh. The building's position near the medina makes it a useful fixed reference for locating the race start.
The 7 km course begins beside Marrakesh's 77-metre minaret
The event's format is deliberately accessible in physical terms: the 7 km course can be completed by running or walking. Its start beside the minaret also distinguishes the Koutoubia stage from the finish at Place des Ferblantiers, allowing the route to connect two named public places in the old city.
Visiting Koutoubia Mosque: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- La Kéchoise starts on 4 October 2026 at 8.30am from Place de la Koutoubia and finishes at Place des Ferblantiers.
- The public-facing programme includes the race route and the partner village held at Place de la Koutoubia on 3 October 2026; the event page identifies the workshops and the start location.
- The venue is in the Medina of Marrakesh, beside the Koutoubia Mosque and close to Place Jemaa el-Fna. The square, mosque and finish area are the key named points on the route.
- The course covers 7 km and may be completed on foot or at a run. Travellers should expect an urban route through the historic city rather than a trail across open countryside.
- Morocco's official languages are Arabic and Amazigh, and its national currency is the Moroccan dirham.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Koutoubia Mosque
When does La Kéchoise take place at Koutoubia Mosque?
La Kéchoise starts at Place de la Koutoubia at 8.30am on 4 October 2026. The 7 km route finishes at Place des Ferblantiers.
Where is Koutoubia Mosque and how do you get there?
The mosque is in the Medina of Marrakesh, beside Place de la Koutoubia and close to Place Jemaa el-Fna. Those named squares provide the principal location references for the event.
What is Koutoubia Mosque?
It is a historic mosque in Marrakesh with a 77-metre minaret. UNESCO lists it among the major monuments of the World Heritage-listed Medina of Marrakesh.
