Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Of the four imperial cities, Meknès is the most modest by far - neither capital (Rabat),
trendy tourist hub (Marrakesh) or home to a famed medina (Fez). In fact, Meknès, which
receives fewer visitors than it really should, is rather overshadowed because of its proxim-
ity to Fez. Quieter and smaller than its grand neighbour, it's also more laid-back with less
hassle, yet still has all the winding narrow medina streets and grand buildings that it war-
rants as a one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate. Sultan Moulay Ismail, the architect
of Meknès' glory days, might be a little disgruntled at the city's current modesty, but visit-
ors will find much to be enchanted by.
Encircled by the rich plains below the Middle Atlas, Meknès is blessed with a hinter-
land abundant with cereals, olives, grapes, citrus fruit and other agricultural products that
remain the city's economic backbone. In the midst of this agricultural region sit the Ro-
man ruins at Volubilis and the hilltop tomb of Moulay Idriss, two of the country's most
significant historic sites. If you base yourself in Meknès you'll find plenty to keep you
busy.
The valley of the (usually dry) Oued Bou Fekrane neatly divides the old medina in the
west and the French-built ville nouvelle in the east. Moulay Ismail's tomb and imperial
city are south of the medina.
History
The Berber tribe of the Meknassis (hence the name Meknès) first settled here in the 10th
century. Under the Almohads and Merenids, Meknès' medina was expanded and some of
the city's oldest remaining monuments were built.
It wasn't until the 17th century that Mek-nès really came into its own. The founder of
the Alawite dynasty, Moulay ar-Rashid, died in 1672. His successor and brother, Moulay
Ismail, then made Meknès his capital, and he would reign from here for 55 years.
Ismail endowed the city with 25km of imposing walls with monumental gates and an
enormous palace complex that was never completed. That he could devote the time and
resources to construction was partly due to his uncommon success in subduing all opposi-
tion in Morocco and keeping foreign meddlers at bay, mainly because of his notorious
Black Guard.
The death of Ismail in 1727 also struck the death knell for Meknès. The town resumed
its role as a backwater, as his grandson Mohammed III (1757-90) moved to Marrakesh.
The 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisbon also dealt Meknès a heavy blow. As so often
happened in Morocco, its monuments were subsequently stripped in order to be added to
