Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
buildings elsewhere. It has only been in the past few decades, as the town's tourist poten-
tial has become obvious, that any serious restoration attempts have taken place.
In 1912 the arrival of the protectorate revived Meknès as the French made it their milit-
ary headquarters. The army was accompanied by French farmers who settled on the fertile
land nearby. After independence most properties were recovered by the Moroccan govern-
ment and leased to local farmers.
Sights
The Medina
The heart of Meknès medina is Pl el-Hedim, the large square facing Bab el-Mansour. Built
by Moulay Ismail and originally used for royal announcements and public executions, it's
a good place to sit and watch the world go by - kids playing football, hawkers selling mir-
acle cures, and promenading families. There's always something going on, and you get
the sense that the city authorities would love for it to turn into the local equivalent of Mar-
rakesh's Djemaa el-Fna. One edge is lined with cafes and restaurants; behind these is an
excellent, covered produce market.
