Meknes ..Historic Of City

Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became a capital under Sultan Moulay Ismaïl (1672–1727), the founder of the Alawite dynasty. The Sultan turned it into a impressive city in Spanish-Moorish style, surrounded by high walls with great doors, where the harmonious blending of the Islamic and European styles of the 17th century Maghreb are still evident today.


The Historic City of Meknes was the capital city for the Alaouite dynasty (17th century). Its Sultan Moulay Ismaïl redesigned the city in
Hispano-Moorish style.

Meknes is enclosed by 25 km long walls that are pierced by monumental gates like the Bab Mansour. Over 80 monuments are enlisted, including mosques, medresas, hammams and fondouks.

I visited Meknes on the morning of the 1st of January, not the best choice of times. The Place el-Hedim, Meknes’s attempt at having their own Djemaa el-Fna, looked desolate (especially under the grey clouds that didn’t want to give way to the sun). The medina was deserted, most of the shops closed. The same unfortunately was true for the Dar Jamaï Museum, advertised by my Lonely Planet guide as “one of Morocco’s best museums”.


One might also wonder why this medina has been placed on the List, next to the more mindblowing ones in Marrakech and Fez. You’ll get a medina-overdose anyway in Morocco.

As I clearly didn’t enjoy my time here in Meknes, I decided to skip the royal stables (probably closed too). I travelled on to Volubilis and Moulay Idriss on the same day, both well worth the effort so that I had a fine day after all.



If you plan a tour of Morocco you will be faced with the question of how many of the 4 “Imperial cities” (Rabat, Meknes, Fez and Marrakech) to visit. All, except Rabat, are UNESCO inscribed – which is probably about right If you have to choose, then certainly don’t miss either Marrakech or Fez! Yet Meknes is worth a couple of hours even if you are short of time and is convenient anyway for another WHS at Volubilis and a T list site at Moulay Idris. (Possibly significantly, Morocco has 4 different “Medinas” in its list but Meknes is “badged” in French and English as a “City” – I wonder why? Elsewhere the word “Medina” is used quite happily to describe an Arab “city” in its entirety including palaces, walls etc - was Morocco just getting too many “Medinas” on its list!)

Meknes was an imperial city created by Sultan Moulay Ismael which was never really completed and was then abandoned and partially destroyed by his son in favour of Marrakech. It was built in mid 17th century and has been called (inappropriately in my view) the “Versailles of Morocco” because it was approximately contemporaneous with Louis XIV and his own constructions (Moulay Ismail saw himself as superior to the French monarch and apparently suggested that Louis XIV should convert to Islam and offered to take 1 of his daughters as a wife!). Some of the palace buildings were restored and are used by the current Sultan but much remains in ruins. The walls stretch for miles and the main gate “Bab el Mansour” (photo) whose columns were taken from Volubilis is one of the architectural “highlights” – which perhaps gives you a measure of the “value scale” of what you will see. Inside the walls, the streets and souks are pleasant enough but don’t have the same sense of size and mystery as at Fez and Marrakech – one doesn’t feel “in danger” of losing oneself here!