This was Moulay Ismaïl's unfinished vision - and ever since, Meknes has never ceased to make others dream... There are its gates, its monumental gates, opening in the mighty walls to give access to the wonders of the city. Bab al-Mansour, the main gate - and the finest in Morocco, leading to the immense mechouar where stands the moving mausoleum of Moulay Ismaïl.
And there are its monuments and the sumptuous glory of its palaces. The Jamaï palace for example, former residence of a vizier, now houses the Museum of Moroccan Arts with its rich collections of porcelain, embroidery, carpets, wood carvings and jewellery.
There is also the amazing colour and variety of everday life. Which can be observed in the way a merchant unfolds a piece of blue cloth in the Kissarias, or in a long drawn out session of bargaining in the Bab Jedid, or by contemplating the concentration on the face of a craftsman engraving a silver bracelet in the souks, or again in the deft hands of an artist painting on wood...
The countryside around Meknes is also a delight; lush and peaceful, gently rolling and planted with olive trees, where the ancient Roman city of Volubilis has slumbered for more than two thousand years. A countryside which gives views onto Mount Zerhoun on which is perched the holy city of Moulay Idriss, the city of green roofs.
EGYPT - LEBANON - SYRIA