| Reviews and photos of Meknes attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Meknes sightseeing. Meknes Map |
 | Meknes Things To Do | Tips 21 - 30 of 41 |  |
If you walk to the northern part of the Medina, leaving the usual touristic
areas behind, the souks will get poorer and muddier. Beyond the
Mosque El Berdayin there is the Place El Berdayin, that looks rather like
a large parking-lot, with some small shops and an internet-café.
At the upper part of the Place El Berdayin you will find the Bab Berdayin
("Gate of the saddlers"). It was built at the times of Moulay Ismail at the end
of the 17th century. With just one arch, it is not as large as the famous
Bab Mansour, but on the outside it is beautifully decorated with green inlays.
Unfortunately there have been no restauration works yet, so the gate starts
to crumble.
From the outside of the Bab Berdayin you have a great view upon the plains
of northern Meknès with the Oued Boufekrane and the mountains behind.
A way leads down to the Boulevard Circulaire. Address: Meknès, MedinaDirections: Above the Boulevard Circulaire, northern area of the Medina, at the upper end of the Place Berdayine.
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 Bou Inania by barryg23Leave a Comment
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 Meat market... by yoshimiLeave a Comment
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Moulay Ismael who made Meknes Morocco's capital in the 17th century is buried in this magnificent building. It's used as a mosque but non Muslims can get in. Don't miss this site because it's well preserved and it has a soul!
Price: up to you, it's a donation to the mosque.
Open daily except on Friday morning: 9am - 12pm / 3pm - 6pm Leave a Comment
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 Mosaics in Volubilis by yoshimi
To get to Volubilis, you can hire a "grand taxi". The ride between Meknès and Volubilis is 30 minutes long and 2 hours are plenty to visit Volubilis. We manage to get a taxi and 2 hours on site for 150 Dh (US$15).
Price: 20 Dh/pers (US$2) Leave a Comment
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Largest national stud with noble Arabian and Berber Horses.
At chosen times you can visit part of the stables ("Première Ecurie")
by yourself or take a guided tour. Phone: 00212-3553-9753Directions: Situated in Zitoun, next to the military academy.
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Rug museum. Dar Jamai palace, built in 1882, is in really bad conditions. It has been used as an hospital during the French protectorat so it might explain why it has been damaged.
You can use Dar Jamai ticket to get inside Bab El Mansour and Koubbat As Sufara where more rugs are shown.
Price: 20 Dh/pers (US$2) for the 3 sites
Dar Jamai museum is located on the medina main square (El Hedim square)
Bab el Mansour is on the same square, across from Dar Jamai.
Koubbat As Sufara is behind Bab El Mansour, ask Bab el Mansour museum personnel to get directions. Leave a Comment
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Similar to her famous sister in Fès, the Medersa Bou Inania in Meknès is one of the main attractions for visitors. It is usually overrun by tourists.
It is said to have been built in the 14th century (ca. 1336-1358) by the Merinide Sultans Abu Al-Hassan and his son Abu Inan, after whom the Medersa is named.
You should make an effort and climb up to the roof, from where you have a beautiful view on Meknès. When descending don't miss a look into the upper floors' tiny rooms. Here the students of the medersa lodged. Some of the chambers have a window, from where you can look down to the court.
Usually the Medersa Bou Inania is open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., but in Ramandan the opening hours vary. The entrance fee is 10 MAD (about 1 Euro). Address: Meknès, MedinaDirections: If you enter the Medina by the Place El Hedim, just follow the street until you get to the "Great Mosque". Right next to it you will find the "Medersa Bou Inania".
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The "Mausolée Moulay Ismail" is one of the main tourist attractions in Meknès.
As it can be visited also by non-muslims, there are few Meknès visitors who miss taking a look.
A visit offers you the chance to see another facet of the grand myth of Moulay Ismail: the salutary, healing powers attributed to the revered Sultan. Many Moroccans visit the sanctuary in order to receive their share of this "baraka": health, well-being and luck.
But not only the famous Sultan Moulay Ismail is buried here. You will find likewise the tomb of his son Sultan Moulay Ahmed Ad-Dahabi, Sultan Moulay Abderrahman Ibn Hicham as well as the grave of his first wife Lalla Kantha.
The Mausoleum consists of three courts, a mosque and the tombs. After entering through the gate you get into an entrance hall, decorated with beautiful "zellije" (hand cut tile) works, followed by the three courts. In the third court there is a beautiful "mihrab", the cupola is carried by twelve pillars. Behind the courts lie the tombs of Moulay Ismail and the other members of his family.
The sanctuary's beautifully carved and painted ceilings shall make visible the splendour of paradise - "al-djanna" - to beholder.
Don't forget to take a look at the longcase clocks. The horologes are a present of Moulay Ismail's contemporary, the French king Louis XIV.
The building of the Mausoleum was begun in Moulay Ismail's lifetime. In the 1950ies it was restaurated by Mohammed V.
Opening hours:
Every day from 9 a.m. to noon (except Fridays) and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The entrance is free.
(Don't forget to get to take of your shoes before entering the rooms in front of the tombs.)
Opposite to the Mausoleum, along the Palace walls, you will find serveral little shops with postcards and touristic souvenirs. Address: Meknès, Ville ImpérialeDirections: Ville Impériale, behind the first Koubba, opposite to the Bab Er-Rih
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The "Bassin de l'Agdal" on the fringes of the "Ville Impériale" is a popular outing for the Meknassi, especially young families and the youth. A bit apart from the scope of parents and neighbors the young have here found a place to meet and promenade.
The Alaouite Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727) had this large artficial basin built as a place of pleasure and recreation for his court. It is also said to have served for the irrigation of the palaces' parcs and gardens.
After an exhausting visit to the Medina and the "Ville Impériale" it's a nice place for reposing, even though it is a bit scant of green. Directions: The basin is located about 500 m south of the Méchouar of the Royal Palace Mhensha on the fringes of the Heri es-Souani, next to the quartier de Béni M'hammed.
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