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Bab Mansour El Alj:
One of the best known and admired of Meknes' grand
gates.
The gate leads from the Imperial City and Lalla
Aouda esplanade to El-Hdim
Square.
Discovering
Meknes
 On
the way to our Cultural and Ecotourism conference
in Fés, we joined a group of fellow North
Americans to tour this fascinating Imperial City
and Seventeenth Century Capital of the Kingdom of
Morocco.
Our first stop was
by the ornate Bab Mansour El Alj (city gates) next
to the huge El-Hdim public square that was bustling
with activity and more photo ops that one could
hope to capture in the short time we were alloted.
The horse and carriages were out in force, each
driver patiently waiting his turn in line. The
rides are inexpensive and you will see much more of
the city than you would by conventional taxi. Most
lady delegates headed off in all directions to
browse and buy at the many interesting shops
surrounding the village square. They say that
Meknes, being known as one of the most prestigious
of Morocco's imperial cities, enjoys a central
position. It is located just west of the Saiss
plain, between the pre-Riffian elevation of Zerhoun
and the foothills of the Middle-Atlas mountain
range. Meknes sits on a plateau and once served as
a virtual cross roads for traders and settlers.
Thanks to its clement weather, abundant water
supplies, and surrounding fertile plains, Meknes
prospered.
  Arab
historians trace the origins of Meknes to the Roman
period in Morocco, perhaps as a forward post for
the neighboring Roman city of Volubilis in its
search for timber and volcanic rock required for
construction, and which the Atlas mountains must
have provided in plenty. Recent archeological
findings, however, do not offer convincing proof
That there was a virtual Romanization of a
settlement that would later develop into the great
capital of legendary King Moulay Ismail.
The great monuments, the
massive walls, the huge gates, the elaborate
gardens, the integrated neighborhoods, the bustling
markets, and the unique crafts and arts point to
layers of history compacted and superimposed in
every corner of the city. So much history for the
visitor to unravel and marvel; at that Meknes was
classified in 1996 as a World Heritage Site, surely
for the edification and pleasure of all
humanity.
The Souk of
Meknès: A
large variety of colorful handicrafts are
displayed. Below: The artistic displays of fresh
produce found at the Souk in Meknès make
these Moroccan Olives especially
enticing.
E-mail
Africa
Travel Magazine
with your own travel experiences in Morocco.
For Further information,
Contact:
USA: Moroccan Tourist
Office: 20 East 46th St., Suite 1201, New York, NY
10017, U.S.A. Tel.: 212-557-2520. Fax:
212-949-8148. Web Site:
http://www.tourism-in-morocco.com/
CANADA: Moroccan
National Tourist Office: Suite 1460, 2001 rue
Université, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A
2A6. Tel: +1 514 842 8111/2. Fax: +1 514 842
5316.
Photo Credits:
Karen B. Hoffman
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