The madrasa is named after the adjacent Ben Youssef Mosque founded by the Almoravid Sultan Ali ibn Yusuf.

The madrasa building which stands today was commissioned by the Sa’di Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib, following a style established during the earlier Marinid period.

La Madrasa de Ben Youssef fue construida en 1964 en el mismo lugar que una antigua madrasa que había sido construida 100 años antes y es uno de los ejemplos de escuela árabe más importantes de la región del sur de Marruecos. La madrasa está construida con una planta casi cuadrada de 42 metros de lado.  El proyecto destaca por su secuencia de espacios que se dilatan y contraen tanto en planta como en sección y que se enfatizan por los cambios en la luz natural.

History
The madrasa is named after the adjacent Ben Youssef Mosque, which was originally the main mosque of the city, founded by the Almoravid Sultan Ali ibn Yusuf.

The first madrasa on this site was founded during the Marinid Islamic dynasty by Sultan Abu al-Hasan. This dynasty, known for its perpetuation of the arts and literature, ruled from 1196 to 1465 AD and was responsible for constructing many madrasas across Morocco. The current building, however, was constructed by the Saadian Sultan Abdallah al-Ghalib, a major builder of his period, and completed in 1564-65 AD.

Historically, madrasas have served as a center for learning, worship and community interaction. In addition to teaching Quranic Tasfeer and Islamic jurisprudence, Islamic schools often taught a wide variety of subjects, including literature, science and history.

The Ben Youssef Madrasa, in fulfilling these functions, was also one of the largest theological colleges in North Africa, reportedly able to accommodate upwards of 800 students.

Closed down in 1960, the building was refurbished and reopened to the public as a historical site in 1982. The Ben Youssef Madrasa currently attracts thousands of tourists every year and remains one of the most important historical buildings in Marrakesh.