Just down the road from Fez lies the Imperial City of Meknes. Not on your Moroccan tour list? Well, it should be. Talk to your Moroccan tour operator and schedule a stop. It is definitely worth a visit. It’s quieter and smaller than most imperial cities, a sort of still-stored secret. If you’re into attractions but not into crowds, then you’ll feel less of the abash hassles instituted in other more visited Morocco cities. The Middle Atlas Mountains provide the backdrop and olive groves, fruit orchards and grain fields add to the pleasant surroundings where zoneless nature mixes amok with buildings and shops.
Some Historical background of Meknes
Back in the 10th century, a Berber tribe calling themselves, Maknassis settled here.
The 11th century brought the Almohads to the area along with Islam. They established a military post and built a citadel. The city was renamed Meknes.
During the 17th century, Sultan Moulay Ismail, founder of the Alawite Dynasty, made Meknes the capital. He erected a palace and turned Meknes into a impressive walled city with Spanish-Moorish features. He blended the Islamic and European styles. You can see them still today.
Eighteenth century brought an end to Meknes’s glory as the capital with Ismail’s death in 1727. An earthquake in 1755 destroyed parts of the city.
French occupiers in the 20th century made Meknes their military headquarters.
Meknes became part of the independent kingdom of Morocco in 1956.
UNESCO names Meknes to its World Heritage List in 1996.
What Meknes is Like Today
When the Sultan Ismail built this Imperial City, it rivaled anything in Europe. Using slaves (today, we know that many were white slaves captured from various shores of Europe), he had built at least 50 palaces, 20 gates and a city wall that measured 45 kilometers long. Today, Meknes is divided into two parts, the old and the new city. The old part of the city has much left enchantment. Meknes is not the grandest city in Morocco but it houses treasures from an old and destroyed dynasty, nonetheless.
What You’ll See in Meknes Today
The royal palace, Dar el-Makhzen, survived the 1755 earthquake. The main palace built by Moulay Ismail, Dar el-Kebira, however, did not. Today, Dar el-Mazkhzen is used by King Mohammed VI when he visits Meknes. Although, not open to the public, part of it can be seen through the gates of the crumbling surrounding wall.
Bab Mansour, the largest and most striking of the many gates found in Meknes is across from the Place Hedim. This gate was finished after the death of the Sultan. It has zellii mosaics that are still in excellent shape. It’s marble columns were brought from the nearby foregone Roman city (now in ruins) of Volubilis.
Place Hedim is in the center of Meknes medina. Moulay Ismail built this square for royal announcements and public executions. It has been restored with new brickwork. Once upon a time it rivaled the Djemaa el Fna in Marrakech. Now, it is not quite so grand, but it a good place to drink tea and people watch.
Near the gate entrance is a building known as Koubbat as-Sufara. It was the greeting hall for foreign ambassadors. Next to it are shafts leading down to a huge crypt made up of small rooms. They were probably used for food storage.
The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is directly across from the Koubbat as-Sufara. Being one of Morocco’s greatest rulers, his tomb is not open to non-Muslims. Non-Muslim visitors may come to the sanctuary, however. The tomb is a showcase of the best of Moroccan craftsmanship. Fortunately, the areas open to all visitors are worth the visit.
Sultan Ismail is said to have kept 12,000 horses. His stables, called Heri es-Souani is about 2 kilometers to the southeast of the Mausoleum. This complex was built with massive walls and under the floor water channels. The walls have tiny windows providing air circulation. Temperatures in the building were kept cool. A massive granary is part of this structure.
Grande Mosque and Merdersa Bou Inaia are closed to non-Muslims. You can climb to the roof of the Merdersa to view the mosque and minaret.
Dar Jamai Museum is located in a palace built by the Jamai family. They served Sultan Moulay al-Hassan in the mid to late 1800s. When the Sultan died, they fell from grace and lost the palace. The French used the palace for a hospital in 1912. The museum has rotating displays that include traditional arts.
Nearby lie the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Volubilis. It has impressive monuments and buildings that were erected back in the 2nd and 3rd centuries of the common era.
Meknes is a good place to get away from the crowds and the bustle of busy city of Fez. Your Moroccan tour operator will be happy to set up an itinerary for you that includes everything and anything you fancy. Meknes has much to see and is a great place to stay, having plenty of one to five start hotels. On the outskirts of the city, Meknes even has a golf course . Your customized Moroccan tour can take in Meknes, Voubilis and sights in the Middle Atlas Mountains all in one go.
by Carole Morris
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June 21st, 2008 at 6:36 pm