Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller

You may wish to see an introductory page to this section or a page on the old town first.

Walls of the Imperial City

In addition to its architectural interest of being built in the Hispano-Moorish style, Meknes is of particular interest as it represents the first great work of the Alaouite dynasty, reflecting the grandeur of its creator. It also provides a remarkable approach of urban design, integrating elements of both Islamic and European architecture and town planning. Meknes is distinctive by the monumental and voluminous aspect of its ramparts reaching 15 metres in height. It is considered as an exemplary testimony of the fortified towns of the Maghreb. It is a property representing a remarkably complete urban and architectural structure of a North African capital of the 17th century, harmoniously combining Islamic and European conceptual and planning elements.
UNESCO synthesis of the universal value of Meknes which in 1996 was included in the World Heritage List.

Walls of the Imperial City from Borj el-Ma towards Bab er-Rih

The founder of this city, named Maknassa, first built it at the bottom of a valley; but Muley Ishmael made it considerably larger, by building in the plain to the west. (..) The city of Mequinez is surrounded with walls; the palace itself is fortified with two bastions. In which there formerly was some small artillery, Muley Ishmael and Muley Abdallah have often defended themselves in this city against the utmost efforts of the Berbers, when they have conspired against their tyranny.
Louis de Chénier - The Present State of the Empire of Morocco - 1788
The wall, which encloses the town, the Kasbah, the Sultan's palace, and fine garden belonging to it, has four-cornered flanking towers, and is kept in very good condition.
Gerhard Rohlfs - Adventures in Morocco (in 1861) - 1874

Detail of Bab el-Mansour, the main gate of the Imperial City (see it in the introductory page)

That part of it which Mulei Ismael adorned with marble pillars, which he got from Leghorn, is in ruins. These beautiful monoliths lie in the dust as witnesses of long-departed greatness. Rohlfs
The image used as background for this page shows a very Italian capital of Bab el-Mansour.

Bab Jami en-Nouar, another gate of the Imperial City

The Physician of the Harem When Si-Hammed, the son of the Bascha of Fez, delivered the moneys to the Sultan, he made such a favourable report about me that one day I was surprised to learn that I had been appointed physician in ordinary to the Sultan, and henceforth I should have daily to attend to the ladies of the harem. As a further proof of his esteem, Si-Hammed made me a present of a sea-green suit of clothes - a very flattering recognition of my services to his father. Two Maghaseni were now sent every day to conduct me to the harem. Arrived there, the chief of the eunuchs, Mr. Camphor, took me in charge, and I was presently conducted into the ante-room, where I found the ladies who required doctoring. At first they would not unveil themselves; but, as I insisted on their doing so, Mr. Camphor, who, with other eunuchs, such as Mr. Musk, Mr. Essence of Roses, (all eunuchs have strongly fragrant, aromatic names.) etc. was of course always present, went and informed the Sultan of this, and soon returned with this answer: "Our lord (Sidna) says that as you are only a Rumi, and but lately a dog of a Christian, the ladies need not observe any ceremony on account of you." Hereupon the shawls, or wrappers, were at once let down (veils proper are not used in Morocco, or anywhere else, by Mohammedan women for covering the face), and I had daily opportunity of admiring the charms of the Sultan's ladies. It must not, however, be supposed that there were any extraordinary beauties in the harem. They were mostly very young creatures, with very full figures. Their dresses and ornaments, often rich and valuable, were covered with dirt, and some part of their clothes was generally torn. Most of them appeared only to come out of curiosity to see the "dog of a Christian". All, however, though foolish and trifling, were very friendly, and if I had not taken the precaution to request Mr. Camphor, after two or three visits, not to bring such and such ones again, I should have had the whole harem about me in a very short time. They seemed to consider this doctoring as a pleasant way of passing the time. Rohlfs

Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail

I was therefore altogether so busy that I only had the evenings to myself, and had but little opportunity for seeing Mequinez. On Fridays, however, I had time to visit one or other of the mosques. The one which bears the name of Mulei Ismael is the most celebrated at present; and as (..) it is the mosque in which his bones, and those of Mulei Shman, Mulei Abd-er-Rhaman, and other Sultans of this dynasty rest, it has obtained the rights of asylum. The fame of this mosque as an asylum for the protection of criminals from justice seems to have become almost as great, through being the resting-place of the bones of the abovementioned rulers of Morocco, as that of the holy mosque, Mulei Edris Serone. (..) I one day witnessed the flight into the mosque, of a lot of artillery soldiers who had revolted on account of not receiving their pay. They remained there several days, even during Friday, on which day the Sultan attends to hear the Chotba Prayer, and it was not until they had received the most positive assurance that they should have free pardon that they would leave their retreat. Whether this promise was kept towards them or not I cannot say, but think it most probable, as of course it would be the Sultan's desire to keep up and heighten the sanctity of the place in which his ancestors were buried. Rohlfs

Mausoleum Moulay Ismail: detail of the portal

Even the mosque Mulei Ismael, which is the place of burial of the present dynasty, lies half in decay. Rohlfs
The decoration of the mausoleum is based on patterns established in the XIV century by the Marinid Sultans in Morocco (e.g. at Salé) and by the Nasrid Emirs at Granada (e.g. at the Generalife), but without the same extensive use of calligraphy.

Bab er-Rih (Gate of the Wind)

The Royal Palace inside the Imperial City is still a residence of the Sultan of Morocco. The rest of the City is a large area without buildings where the citizens of Meknes can go for a stroll. It is partitioned by walls which divide it into smaller sections. Some of the gates between these sections depart from the overall Moroccan/Andalusian style of the complex.

The Sultan's Palace At the extremity of the city, on the south-east side, is the Emperor's palace, built by Muley Ishmael after a plan of his own (it was greatly damaged by the earthquake which destroyed Lisbon in 1755). This is a very extensive building, including several gardens, well laid out, and watered by abundant streams. I have visited every part of this palace by permission of the Emperor; for, without that, it may not be entered. There is a large garden in the centre, surrounded by a spacious and tolerably regular gallery, supported by columns, which maintains a communication between the apartments. Those of the women, which are much less peopled than they were in the reign of Muley Ishmael, are very large, and terminate in one common chamber, built on a causeway that divides the great garden, where the women may look out at the window through an iron lattice. As we pass from one apartment to another, we meet at intervals with regular courts, paved with squares of black and white marble. In the middle of these courts is a marble basin, on which is raised a round shell; in the centre of this is a fountain that plays into the basin. Chénier

Koubba el-Khayatine

The Sultans gave audience to foreign ambassadors in a hall situated very near the main entrances to the Imperial City and far from their palaces. The building was later on converted to other uses and it has almost entirely lost its original decoration.

Kara prison under Koubba el-Khayatine

A series of underground halls near Koubba el-Khayatine were a dungeon for Christian slaves. They were eventually used as warehouses or granaries. They now house temporary exhibitions.
During the first half of the XIXth century the number of Christian slaves in Morocco sharply declined, but not that of slaves in general.
I shall now give some further details illustrative of the state of negro slavery. The Emperor has an entire quarter of the city of Morocco (Marrakech) appropriated for his own slaves, the number of whom, in different parts of the empire, amounts to upwards of sixty thousand. This is his, the lion's share. His Imperial Highness, who was accepting presents from various governors, lately received five hundred slaves from the Sheikh of Taradant. (..) A Moor observed, "I hope to see any calamity befall the country rather than that of the slaves being liberated." He observed: "God shews his approbation of slavery by not permitting slaves to rise against their masters, or the free negroes to invade Morocco, who are infinitely more numerous. The reason why the English abolished slavery is because the Queen of England has a good heart, but Mussulmen treat their slaves well, and do not fear the anger of God." When I mentioned that the Bey of Tunis and the Imam of Muscat had entered into treaties for the suppression of Slavery, the traders observed, "Amongst the Mohammetans are four sects, but the only orthodox sect is that of Morocco."
James Richardson - Travels in Morocco - 1860

Pool of Agdal

A very large reservoir provided the palace and its extensive gardens with an abundant supply of water. It is now a pleasure lake.

Heri es-Souani

Enormous granaries and stables were built at the southern end of the Imperial City. They were greatly damaged by the 1755 earthquake and their remains bring to mind those of ancient cities, thus in 1987 they were used for filming a movie set in antiquity, i.e. The Last Temptation of Christ by Martin Scorsese.

Heri es-Souani: the stables

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