Spending 3 weeks in Morocco allowed us to explore a few less-frequented destinations, like Meknes, Moulay Idriss, and Volubilis, all of which sit between Rabat and Fes. We arrived in Meknes from Rabat by train, which was comfortable and easy enough. Meknes is one of four Moroccan imperial capitals, the others are Fes, Marrakesh and Rabat. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became the capital for 63 years during the reign of Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif (1672-1727), the second ruler of the Alaouite (current) dynasty and the longest reigning Moroccan monarch.
Sultan Ismail was quite the builder, creating a large, fortified city with beautiful gates.
We visited his mausoleum, which was beautifully decorated.
We were impressed by the damascene artisans’ work we saw outside the mausoleum, who use silver, as opposed to gold, which is used in Toledo’s similar workshops. The view from our riad’s rooftop of the Grand Mosque’s minaret was outstanding.
The remains of the city’s historic granaries, water storage basins and royal stables show the scale of what the sultan created in a relatively short period.
There is still a royal palace in the city that is an occasional residence for the current king. Just outside the mausoleum is the Royal Golf Club, which is built within the walls of the palace and is the only enclosed golf course in Africa. As you can see, arched gates are ubiquitous in Morocco.
From Meknes we were able to visit Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, which is considered Morocco’s holiest city, and the ruins of Volubilis (next post). Moulay Idriss, which was founded in 789, was closed to non-Muslim visitors until 1912. It is famous for being the site of the tomb of Idris I, a direct descendant of the Prophet Mohommed and the founder of the first Islamic dynasty – the Idrissids, who are considered the forefathers of Morocco as a modern independent Islamic state -- specifically independent from the eastern Islamic powers.
Moulay Idriss is a small town that is very colorful. It is nestled on the slopes of Mount Zerhoun. While we didn’t spend a lot of time there, it was still memorable. We wandered up, down and around with the help of an entrepreneurial local who served as our guide. We could peer into the tomb site as only Muslims are allowed to enter. The city also features the only cylindrical minaret in Morocco, which is covered in green mosaic tiles.
From there we wound our way through the steep alleys to get to the Grande Terasse, a panoramic view of the town’s rooftops.
More soon,
Shana & Jeff
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