Meknes is a beautiful and historic city in northern Morocco. It is well renowned for having an imperial past, and one of the remaining examples is Bab Mansour, a sizable gate with arches and mosaic tile. There are courtyards and fountains at the mausoleum of Sultan Moulay Ismail, who made the city his capital in the 17th century. Then the ruined Heri es-Souani, a large building that was previously used for stables and food storage, is to the south.
Meknes is impressively situated geographically in the Sass Plain between the Middle Atlas and the Zerhoun pre-rifan mountain. It includes remnants of the Medina, which attests to an ancient socioeconomic structure, and the imperial metropolis built by Sultan Moulay.
What gives this urban treasure its worldwide worth is the current existence of this ancient city with its great monuments and unusual ruins situated within a dynamic urban setting. A set of walls encloses the two ensembles and keeps them apart from one another. Meknes is particularly interesting since it is the first major creation of the Alaouite dynasty and reflects the magnificence of its architect, in addition to being created in the Hispano-Moorish style, which adds to its architectural interest. It also offers a novel approach to urban design, fusing aspects of Islamic and European town planning and architecture.
Key buildings, including 25 mosques, 10 hammams, palaces, enormous graneries, remnants of fondouks (inns for merchants), and private homes. All these structures bear witness to the Almoravid, Merinid, and Alaouite Periods behind the high defensive walls that are entered by nine massive gates.
Three of the greatest attractions of Meknes itself include the medina's architecture, Bab el-imposing Mansour's entryway, and the stunning Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail. The hilltop pilgrimage town of Moulay Idriss is one of the most picturesque settlements in this area, and also the closest base to this one. Some key places to visit are:
The northern and coastal resort areas, which have a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and warm, wet winters, are best visited from May to September. The best time to travel to the south is between October and December because it may be quite hot in inland towns like Marrakech, Fez, and Meknes during this time. There are celebrations all year round. With the exception of a few national holidays, exact dates should be checked at your local tourism office as they vary from year to year in accordance with the Islamic calendar.
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