which is surrounded by ornate rooms. The palace was expanded in a haphazard way over the years. After Vizier Ba Ahmad's death, his palace became royal property, & was used to entertain foreign guests. In 1912, when the French Protectorate took over, the palace was converted to a city residence for French General Layautey. With Moroccan independence (1956), the palace became the royal residence of King Mohammmed V, the father of the current Sultan Hassan II, who entertains foreign dignitaries here in Marrakesh.