Morocco has officially inaugurated the King Mohammed VI Tower on the outskirts of Rabat, opening a 55-story landmark that now stands as the tallest structure in the North African nation. The $700 million tower rises 250 meters, or 820 feet, and is beginning to receive guests at its 55-room Waldorf Astoria.
Billionaire financier Othmane Benjelloun envisioned the project, which took eight years to materialize before its inauguration earlier this month. He said the idea took shape after a 1969 visit to NASA, where he watched preparations of the Saturn V rocket for the Apollo 12 mission, and the tower was later inspired by the rocket that sent man to the moon.
The opening adds a new high-profile address to a part of Morocco that is being built out for more than symbolism. Thirty residential units and premium commercial spaces are available for purchase, and the observatory on the 55th floor gives visitors a view of the twin cities and the Royal Theater designed by Zaha Hadid.
Laila Haddaoui said the developers built “an iconic monument for the Bouregreg Valley in particular, and the capital Rabat in general,” a line that fits the scale of the project and the ambitions around it. The tower is controlled by three primary investors under Benjelloun, including Bank of Africa and insurer RMA.
The timing matters because the tower opens as Rabat-Sale airport nears completion of a new terminal expected to expand annual capacity to 5 million travelers, and as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 men’s FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. The country welcomed more than 19.8 million visitors last year and remains Africa’s most visited nation, making the tower part of a broader push to match tourism demand with new infrastructure.
What is less clear is how quickly the new luxury space will fill and whether the tower becomes a daily part of Rabat’s skyline or mostly a showcase for visiting dignitaries and travelers. For now, it is a costly statement that Morocco is betting on visibility, prestige and the next wave of arrivals.
