Meknes (Arabic: مكناس, romanized: maknās, pronounced [maknaːs]) is one of four Imperial cities in Morocco. It is located in northern central Morocco and is the sixth largest city in the country by population. The city was founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement. During the reign of Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif (1672–1727), who was the son of the person who started the Alaouite dynasty, Meknes became the capital of Morocco. Sultan Ismail built a large palace complex and added strong fortifications and large gates to the city. According to the 2024 Moroccan census, Meknes had a population of 551,503. It is the main city of Meknès Prefecture and an important center for the economy in the Fès-Meknès region.

Etymology

Meknes is named after a Berber tribe that was known as the Miknasa. The tribe is called Imeknasen in their language.

History

Volubilis was an important city during the Roman times in what is now Morocco. It was near the modern city of Meknes. The name Meknes comes from a Berber tribe called the Miknasa, who lived in the area around the 10th century. These Miknasa people built small villages called miknāsat al-zaytūn in the 10th century. Later, in the 11th century, the Almoravids, a powerful group, built a fortress just south of these villages after taking control of the region. This fortress, originally named Tagrart or Taqrart, became the start of the old medina of Meknes. The Nejjarine Mosque, which is often said to be the oldest mosque in the city, was built during the Almoravid period and may have been the main mosque of the Almoravid settlement. The Grand Mosque of Meknes is believed to have been first built by the Almoravids in the 12th century.

The fortress resisted the Almohads, who destroyed the city after a long battle in the 12th century. However, in the early 13th century, the Almohad leader Muhammad al-Nasir rebuilt the city and its fortifications, including the Grand Mosque. Meknes became prosperous during this time until it was taken over by the Marinid dynasty in 1244. The first kasbah, or citadel, of Meknes was built by Sultan Abu Yusuf Ya'qub in 1276, the same year the citadel of Fes el-Jdid was built in Fes. During this period, Meknes was often the home of Marinid princes and officials. The Mosque of the Kasbah, later called the Mosque of Lalla Aouda, was also built in 1276. The Marinids later restored the Grand Mosque and built important schools, called madrasas, near it. These included the Bou Inania Madrasa (built in 1336) and two other madrasas, Madrasa al-Qadi and Madrasa Shuhud, all built by Sultan Abu el-Hassan.

After the Marinid and Wattasid periods, Meknes was neglected when the Saadian dynasty focused on their capital in Marrakesh and ignored older cities in northern Morocco.

Meknes received new attention in the late 17th century under the Alaouite dynasty. Moulay Rashid, the first Alaouite sultan to unite Morocco, made Fes the capital again, and his brother, Moulay Isma'il ibn Sharif, governed Meknes. After Rashid died in 1672, Moulay Isma'il became sultan and chose Meknes as his new capital. He may have done this because he had fought to reclaim Fes and Marrakesh from his rival nephew and wanted to avoid relying on Fes, which had traditional leaders who opposed his rule. Meknes was also farther west, which made it easier to defend against attacks from the east and tribal movements in the region.

Moulay Isma'il built a large palace-city on the south side of the old city, starting in 1672. Old structures from the medieval kasbah were torn down to make space. The public square in front of the Kasbah, called el-Hedim, got its name from the rubble left after the demolition. Workers, including paid laborers and enslaved people, helped build the city. Estimates suggest between 25,000 and 55,000 people worked on the project. Stories about thousands of Christian slaves and large underground prisons are exaggerated, as most enslaved people were likely fewer in number, and the "prisons" were actually storage rooms.

During Moulay Isma'il's time, Jewish residents were moved to a new area called the Mellah, near the Kasbah. He also rebuilt the city walls and built new gates, such as Bab Berda'in and Bab Khemis. He constructed several kasbahs to house his 'abid troops and protect the city. He renovated the Grand Mosque and the Madrasa al-Qadi, which he dedicated to students from the Tafilalt region. He also built the Zitouna Mosque. Khnata bent Bakkar, one of his wives and a vizier, built the Bab Berda'in Mosque, completed in 1709.

Before his death, Moulay Isma'il built the Heri al-Mansur, a palace with large stables on the southern edge of the kasbah. The monumental gate Bab al-Mansur al-'Alj, facing Place al-Hedim, was finished in 1732 by his son, Moulay Abdallah. His son, Moulay Ahmad ad-Dhahabi, made changes to his father's mausoleum and was buried there in 1729.

After Moulay Isma'il died, Morocco became unstable as his sons fought for power. Meknes lost its status as the capital and suffered damage in the 1755 earthquake. The city was neglected, and parts of the imperial kasbah fell into disrepair. Sultan Muhammad ibn Abdallah, who ruled from 1757 to 1790, built projects in Meknes, including the Dar al-Bayda Palace in the Agdal garden and the Er-Roua Mosque in the southern part of Moulay Isma'il's Kasbah.

Geography

Meknes is located in a key place in the center of Morocco. To the south and southeast are the cedar forests and mountains of the Middle Atlas region, which include the cities of Ifrane and Azrou. Further south are the fertile oases of Tafilalt. To the west are Morocco’s two largest cities: Casablanca and Rabat. To the north lies the mountainous area of northern Morocco, home to the cities of Tangier and Tétouan. To the east of Meknes are the cities of Oujda and Fes.

Meknes has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, which is classified as type Csa. This climate is similar to some inland cities in southern Portugal, such as Beja and Évora, and to parts of southern Spain. Winters are cool, with daytime temperatures averaging about 15.5°C (59.9°F) in December and January, while nighttime temperatures average around 5°C (41°F). Summers are warm, with afternoon temperatures often 10–14°C higher than morning lows. Snow is uncommon in this region.

Meknes is the main city of the Meknès prefecture. This area includes six cities (one of which is Meknes itself) and fifteen rural communities.

Historic monuments and landmarks

The main historic buildings in the city are found in the medina (old city) and the large former Kasbah of Moulay Ismail to the south. The most important buildings are listed below.

El-Hedim Square (Place el-Hedim) is a large plaza at the southern end of the old city, near the main gates of Moulay Isma'il's former palace. The square's name, el-Hedim, means "rubble" and refers to the tearing down of buildings during the construction of Moulay Isma'il's palaces. He left the area as an open space to separate his palace from the rest of the city. Today, the square is a place for evening activities like storytelling, acrobatics, and music.

• Grand Mosque of Meknes: This is the most important mosque in the old city. It was built in the 12th century by the Almoravids and has been fixed up many times since.
• Madrasa Bou Inania: This is the city's most famous school for Islamic learning. It was built by Sultan Abu al-Hasan in 1335–36 and is now named after his son, Abu Inan. It is one of the most beautifully decorated buildings in the city.
• Nejjarine Mosque: This mosque is said to be the oldest in the city. It was built during the Almoravid period but has been changed many times.
• Lalla Aouda Mosque: This is the main mosque of the former Kasbah and Moulay Isma'il's palaces. It was first built during the Marinid era but was completely rebuilt by Moulay Isma'il between 1672 and 1678. Its tall minaret can be seen from Place Lalla Aouda.
• Bab Berda'in Mosque: This mosque is near the northern gate of the medina (Bab Berda'in) and was completed in 1709 by Morocco's first female minister, Khnata bent Bakkar. In 2010, its historic minaret collapsed, killing 41 people. The mosque has since been repaired and its minaret rebuilt.
• Ar-Roua Mosque: This is the largest mosque in Meknes. It was built by Sultan Muhammad ibn Abdallah between 1757 and 1790. It is near the Heri al-Mansur palace in the southern part of the Kasbah.
• Zitouna Mosque: A large mosque built by Sultan Moulay Isma'il around 1687.
• Zawiya of Sidi Mohammed Ben Aissa: Also known as the Mausoleum of Sheikh al-Kamel, this is an important religious complex outside the city walls. It was built in the late 18th century and later restored. The founder of the Aissawiya Sufi brotherhood is buried here. He is considered the patron saint of Meknes, and his annual festival is one of the most intense. Historically, the festival was known for displays of self-harm.
• Zawiya of Sidi Kaddour el-Alami: A beautifully decorated mosque and religious

Economy

Meknes is an important economic center in Morocco. It produces goods from three areas: agriculture, industry, and services. These activities help the city grow and attract businesses.

A 2015 report from the World Bank named Meknes as one of the top three most competitive cities in Africa. Two of these cities are in Morocco: Meknes and Tangier.

Meknes is known as the capital of agriculture in Morocco. The Saïss plain, a very fertile and rich area in Morocco, is centered in Meknes.

Every year since 2006, Meknes hosts the International Agriculture Show in Morocco (French: Salon International de l'Agriculture au Maroc). The event covers more than 250,000 square meters, with over 60 countries and more than 1,200 exhibitors participating. The land around Meknes is fertile and productive because of its high elevation, rich soil, and fresh water. This environment supports the growth of fruits and vegetables such as peaches, nectarines, prunes, apples, potatoes, onions, and garlic. Meknes is also known for its olives and olive oil. Livestock farming, especially for sheep and cattle, is common in the area. Large industrial facilities in Meknes produce milk and dairy products that meet most of the region’s needs.

Industry in Meknes includes light manufacturing, such as food processing in the Mejjat area, and chemical and para-chemical industries in zones like Agropolis. Textile and metal manufacturing are also long-established industries in the city. The year 2016 marked a new time for industry in Meknes, with the introduction of companies producing electrical wires, embedded systems, and automotive parts.

Many services in Meknes are connected to tourism, due to the attractions of the old city district, known as the medina.

Transport

The city of Meknes is located in a place that makes it an important center for transportation in Morocco. The city can be reached through the A2 expressway, which has two exits: one on the east side of the city and another on the west side.

The city’s Gare Routière, which is where intercity buses stop, is located west of the medina. This area also includes the main station for grand taxis, which are used for long-distance travel. A newer bus station operated by CTM is near the main railway station.

There are two train stations in the new city district of Meknes (called Ville Nouvelle in French). These stations have trains that run every hour to the east, west, and north of Morocco. One station is larger than the other and serves different purposes. The trains are operated by ONCF, and the following table lists the destinations reachable through Meknes’ railway stations (round-trip routes):

As noted earlier, Meknes has two train stations: Meknes Railway Station (Gare de Meknès in French) and Meknes Amir Abdul Qadir Railway Station (Gare de Meknès Amir Abdelkader in French). All trains listed in the table stop at the first station. Except for the first row of the table, all other trains stop at the second station.

The closest airport to Meknes is Fes-Saïss Airport (IATA: FEZ, ICAO: GMFF), which can only be reached by road. Another airport, Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca, offers more international flights and is easily accessible by train. There is also a military airport located in Meknes.

Public transportation in Meknes is managed by the local government and includes:
– A large bus network that covers the entire area of the prefecture and even extends beyond it, such as the line 16 to El Hajeb.
– Two types of taxis: small taxis that carry up to three people and use a fare system; and larger taxis that carry up to six people, follow fixed routes, and have set prices.

Education

Meknes is home to the public Moulay Ismail University, which has several faculties, schools, and institutions located in three cities: Meknes, Errachidia, and Khenifra.

• Faculty of Sciences – FS, created in 1982
• Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences – FLSH, created in 1982
• Normal Superior School – ENS, created in 1983
• Faculty of Juridical, Economical and Social Sciences – FSJES, created in 1993
• Superior School of Technology – EST, created in 1993
• National Superior School of the Arts and Professions – ENSAM, created in 1997

• Faculty of Science and Technology – FST, created in 1994
• Poly disciplinary Faculty – FP, created in 2006

• Superior School of Technology – EST, created in 2014

In addition to Moulay Ismail University, many private schools for higher education are also located in Meknes.

Notable people

• Abdeljalil Hadda, former international Moroccan football player
• Aryeh Deri, Moroccan-born Israeli politician
• Aziza Jalal, Arabic pop singer and actress
• Driss Roukhe, Moroccan actor and director
• Faouzi Bensaïdi, Moroccan actor and film director
• Khalid Ismail, Moroccan MMA fighter
• H-Kayne, hip-hop group
• Houcine Toulali, Moroccan Malhun singer and writer
• Karima Abd-Daif, Moroccan-Norwegian politician
• Laïla Abid, Dutch journalist and news presenter
• Latefa Ahrar, Moroccan actress
• Malika Akkaoui, Moroccan athlete
• Kaddour El Alamy, Moroccan poet
• Chuck Martini (born Choukri Moussaddik), former Moroccan football player
• Muhammad Al Barka, writer and historian
• Mickaël Pariente, author
• Cut Killer, DJ and record producer
• Sara Chafak, Finnish beauty pageant contestant of Moroccan descent, Miss Finland 2012
• Salah Eddine El Ghomari, journalist and television presenter
• Farid al-Ansari, religious scholar and writer