1.
2121

2.
The Place El-Hedime, located exactly between the old town
and the Imperial part of the city, houses the covered
market and becomes busy at dusk: fire-

3.
Originally known as “Meknassa al-
Zitoun” (“Meknes of the olives”),
Meknes was founded in the 10th
Century by members of the Berber
“Meknassa” tribe, but became
famous when it was chosen by the
Emperor Moulay Ismail to be his
Imperial capital in 1672. Compared
to his contemporary, Louis XIV of
France, due to his reputation as a
warrior king and his love of
grandeur in general, he made it his
life’s mission to transform Meknes
into the “Versailles of Morocco”.
Dominating the southern end of El-
Hedim square the monumental
gateway of Bab Mansour, the
crowning jewel of Moulay Ismail’s
architectural legacy,
commissioned by him but finished
in 1732 during his son’s reign.
Intricately decorated with richly
coloured tiles and flanked by two
bastions supported in part by
columns plundered from Volubilis,
it marks the entrance to the vast
precincts of the imperial court

4.
Decorative gate Bab er-Reth (The door of the wind) gate to Moulay Ismail Mausoleum

5.
The Moulay Ismail Mausoleum. Moulay Ismaïl Ibn Sharif, also known as the “Warrior King”, was the ruler of Moroccan Alaouite dynasty

6.
The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail in Meknes is the final resting place of one of
Morocco's most notorious sultans

7.
Meknes shops
in front of
mausoleum of
Moulay Ismail

8.
Souvenir ridge magnets

9.
The Place El-Hedime

10.
Bab er-Reth (The door of the wind) gate to Moulay Ismail Mausoleum

11.
Following the
death of Moulay
Ismail, his city fell
into ruin, but the
20th century
brought
restoration and
rejuvenation

12.
All species of Lantana are suspected of having great toxic potential

13.
Lantana are suspected of having great toxic potential

14.
Designed by
Sultan Moulay
Ismail, the
Lahdim square
served as a
space to
celebrate parties,
organize
demonstrations of
all kind, mainly
military. The
square was also
used for religious,
cultural, and
political
gatherings, and in
normal days was
used as a large
souk

15.
The Place El-Hedime
Morocco has made significant strides in education over the past decades. The
Government allocates about 26% of its annual budget for education.

16.
At the entrance to the medina is Place el Hedim, a popular meeting place, with fancy street lamps, food stalls,
fountains and a mock-Andalusian arcade housing shops and cafés

17.
Place Hedim, the
main square in
the old part of the
city. Lahdim
square is also
famous by Bab
Mansour, the
largest gate in
Africa that
connects the
square with other
parts of the old
medina

18.
Bab Mansour Gate

19.
The architect was
a Christian
convert to Islam
named Mansour
Laalej (whose
name translates
to “victorious
renegade”) who
sought to ascend
in the sultan’s
court. His name
also contributed
to the name of
the gate
(mansour means
“victorious” in
Arabic)The wooden gateway is16m tall and 8m wide

20.
The wooden gateway is not in use anymore but visitors can use a smaller side door to enter the medina

21.
Sound: Cheb Khaled
2016
Text: Internet
Pictures: Sanda Foişoreanu
Sanda Negruțiu
Internet slide2,3
Copyright: All the images belong to their authors
Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanu
https://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela