Traditional houses in Morocco are usually centered around a large internal courtyard, the wast ad-dar, and are characterized by a focus on interior decoration rather than on external appearance. The houses of wealthy residents featured decoration typical of Moroccan architecture and medieval Moorish architecture, including carved and painted wood, carved stucco, and zellij (mosaic tilework). The center of larger houses could also be occupied by a riad garden (Arabic: رياض), particularly in places like Marrakesh where more space was available.
The oldest surviving houses and mansions in Morocco today are from the Marinid period (13th to 15th centuries) or the following Saadi period (16th and early 17th centuries), while a larger number of examples have survived from later centuries. In the context of modern tourism in Morocco, many traditional houses have been converted into hotels or guesthouses that are popularly referred to as "riads".