Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
To the south, the impressive monumental gateway of Bab el-Mansour leads into
Moulay Ismail's imperial city. The narrow streets of the old
mellah
are in the west of the
medina - look for the old balconied houses so distinctive of the Jewish quarter.
The easiest route into the souqs is through the arch to the left of the Dar Jamaï Museum
on the north side of Pl el-Hedim. Plunge in and head northwards, and you'll quickly find
yourself amid souvenir stalls and carpet shops.
Markets
There are many
qissariat
(covered markets). A couple of these are devoted to textiles and
carpets, which are noisily auctioned off on Sunday mornings.
Okchen Market
specialises in
fine embroidery. On Rue Najjarine, you'll pass stalls of
babouches
(leather slippers) in
multicoloured rows and
Qissariat ad-Dahab
, the jewellery souq. Outside of the city wall,
you'll find a colourful souq selling spices, herbs and nuts, and a lively
flea market
.
MARKET
Dar Jamaï Museum
MUSEUM
( 0555 53 08 63; admission Dh10; 9am-noon & 3-6.30pm Wed-Mon)
Overlooking Pl el-Hedim
is Dar Jamaï, a palace built in 1882 by the powerful Jamaï family, two of whom were viz-
iers to Sultan Moulay al-Hassan I. When the sultan died in 1894, the family fell foul of
court politics and lost everything, including the palace, which was passed on to the power-
ful Al-Glaoui family. In 1912 the French commandeered the palace for a military hospital.
Since 1920 the palace has housed the Administration des Beaux Arts and one of Mo-
rocco's best museums. Exhibits include traditional ceramics, jewellery, rugs and some
fantastic textiles and embroidery. Look out for the brocaded saddles, and some exquisite
examples of Meknasi needlework (including some extravagant gold and silver kaftans).
The
koubba
(domed sanctuary) upstairs is furnished as a traditional salon complete with
luxurious rugs and cushions. The museum also has a fine collection of antique carpets,
representing various styles from different regions of Morocco.
The exhibits are well constructed; explanations are in French, Arabic and sometimes
English. The museum's Andalucian garden and courtyard are shady, peaceful spots amid
overgrown orange trees.
Musée de Meknès
MUSEUM
