Coucou les bichettes,
You will find below the continuation of my first article on our stay in Morocco entitled: Morocco from Fez to Rabat: part 1. Here you can read about our arrival in Meknes and our stroll through the city.
One thing I can say about Meknes is that I found it very different from Fez and Rabat. Although it’s also an imperial city, I found it less appealing, perhaps because it’s less well-maintained than the other two, even though it has real potential, despite its more traditional and typical feel.
Meknes and its famous Bab Mansour gateway
On arrival at Meknes station, we took a large cab to our hotel near the Bab Mansour gate. To tell the difference between large and small cabs: their color! Small cabs are often red, blue or yellow, depending on the city. They accept no more than three tourists in their car, as is the rule in Morocco. Large cabs are white. You can take them with other tourists, for longer distances.
Morocco’s fifth-largest city, Meknes is a luminous place, where wide open spaces reign supreme: broad vistas, immense buildings… it’s no wonder that Meknes has often been dubbed “the Moroccan Versailles”.
Once we’d left our suitcases at the hotel, we decided to visit two sites: El Mansour Palace and Kara Prison.
The Palais El Mansour is an imposing vestige of Meknes history. It combines its functions as a watchtower and bastion with those of an armament depot, a grain tank and a princely residence. The guide who greeted us at the entrance gave us a simple but effective tour. Take the time to climb to the top of the Palace to discover the remains of this monument, which deserves to be listed and better maintained.
The Kara prison, on the other hand, can be visited very quickly. It’s simply an underground gallery built like a labyrinth. Founded during the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismaïl (1672-1727), the first of the Alaouite dynasty to take power in Morocco, this prison could hold up to 40,000 inmates! The lack of light makes it easy to imagine what life was like for these prisoners…
After these visits, we took a break in the large square of the Bab Mansour gate. On the menu: green tea and Coca-Cola, in the colors of the country 🙂 If you want to eat nearby, head for the panoramic restaurant above the square. It’s good value for money, but you should avoid the restaurants on the square, where the hygiene and quality of the food clearly leave something to be desired…
At the end of the square, the entrance to the medina awaits you.
Beware: it’s easy to get lost in the maze of narrow streets. A few kilometers long, the medina again offers typical local handicrafts.
Not to be missed in the medina: the Bou Inania medersa.
One of the kingdom’s oldest theological schools. Built during the Merinid dynasty in the 14th century, the Bou Inania Medersa in Meknes is a true architectural gem. Built in the middle of the Meknes medina, the school bears the name of the man who commissioned its construction, Sultan Abou Inan Faris (1348-1358).
For souvenirs, prefer Fez or Rabat. In fact, let’s move right on to the last leg of our journey! Let’s get back on the train and I’ll take you to the last article: Morocco from Fez to Rabat: part 3.
