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Tourist Attractions > Africa > Morocco > Saadian Tombs | |
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Saadian Tombs Description Completed in 1266, the Sanjusangen-do Temple which is officially called Rengeo-in Temple, is a faithful copy of an original that was built in 1164, but burned down in 1249. Originally built by Taira no Kiyomori for the emperor Go-Shirakawa, the temple is today a national treasure. It is best known for its wooden image of the Thousand-Armed Kannon (the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy), a masterpiece of the Kamakura period, which stands surrounded by 1000 smaller statues of the same goddess. The hondo (main building) is split into 33 sanjusan (bays) that exist between its many pillars to symbolise the 33 incarnations of Kannon, hence the name Sanjusangen-do Temple, which literally means ‘33 bay hall’. Air: Kansai International Airport. Rail: Train: Keihan Railway to Shichijo Station. Road: Bus: Public services. Car: Hiezan Driveway (from Imazu-cho); Meishin Expressway (from Osaka); Tomei Expressway or Meishin Expressway (from Nagoya). Description Situated in the old Kasbah Quarter of Marrakech, the Saadian Tombs were built in the late 16th century by the Saadian Sultan Ahmed el Mansour as the final resting place for himself, three other Sultans and 62 of their family members. The series of 66 elaborately-decorated indoor tombs were only accessible via the mosque next door but were rediscovered and made accessible to visitors in 1917 and have become one of the city’s most visited sites. Famed for their ornate decoration, the central mausoleum known as the Hall of Twelve Columns is the most stunning chamber of the complex with high vaulted ceilings, marble columns and intricate mosaics. Contact Addresses Department of Industry and Tourism, Tourist Section, Kyoto City Government, Kyoto Kaikan, Okazaki, Sayo-ku, Kyoto, Japan Tel: (075) 752 0215 (administration) or 525 0033 (Temple) Website: http://raku.city.kyoto.jp/sight_e.phtml Transportation Air: Marrakech Menara Airport. Rail: Marrakech Station. Road: Bus: Public services. Contact Addresses For more information on the Saadian Tombs, contact the Moroccan National Tourist Board (see Tourist Information above). Morocco - Map 
Morocco - Map
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