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MEKNES,MOROCCO - APRIL 7,2017 - Gate Bab El-Mansour at the El Hedim square in Meknes. Meknes is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco.; Shutterstock ID 646182178; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Day in Meknes article

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Overview

Quieter and smaller than its grand neighbour Fez, Meknes feels rather overshadowed and receives fewer visitors than it should. It’s more laid-back with less hassle, yet still has all the winding narrow medina streets and grand buildings that it warrants as an imperial city and one-time home of the Moroccan sultanate.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Meknes, Meknes, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

    Bab El Mansour

    Meknes

    The focus of Place El Hedim is this huge gate, perhaps the grandest of all imperial Moroccan gateways. The gate is well preserved, if a bit dulled by soot…

  • Heri es-Souani, an ancient grain container, Meknes, Morocco; Shutterstock ID 32782828; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: BiT 2019 destination page update

    Heri Es Souani

    Meknes

    Moulay Ismail considered this early-18th-century complex one of his finest architectural projects, and on paper it's a marvel. The massive, thick-walled,…

  • Medersa Bou Inania

    Medersa Bou Inania

    Meknes

    Opposite the Grande Mosquée, this religious school, completed in 1358, is typical of the exquisite Merinid interior design. Although it is not as lavish…

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    Place El Hedim

    Meknes

    Cleared by Moulay Ismail so his populace could better admire Bab El Mansour, this square is the social heart of the medina, and it really livens up at…

  • MEKNES, MOROCCO - FEBRUARY 29, 2016: Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail interior in Meknes in Morocco. Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is a tomb and mosque located in the Morocco city of Meknes.; Shutterstock ID 421915627; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Day in Meknes article

    Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail

    Meknes

    Closed since 2016 for a massive renovation, the final resting place of the sultan who made Meknes his capital in the 17th century is ordinarily a must-see…

  • Dar Jamaï Museum

    Dar Jamaï Museum

    Meknes

    On the north side of Place El Hedim, this museum was under renovation at last visit, with a possible reopening in 2020. Built in 1882 by the powerful…

  • Koubbat As Sufara

    Koubbat As Sufara

    Meknes

    Moulay Ismail's reception hall for foreign ambassadors is a lovely show of zellige (patterned tile) work. It's here that Unesco officially inscribed…

  • Agdal Basin

    Agdal Basin

    Meknes

    Adjacent to the Heri Es Souani lies an enormous stone-lined lake, the Agdal Basin, built in the 18th century as both a reservoir for Moulay Ismail's…

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