Meknes

Along with Rabat, Marrakesh and Fez, Meknes is one of the imperial cities of Morocco. Moulay Ismail was the first great sultan of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty and developed the city. Today his mausoleum lies at the heart of the city in a compound decorated with Moroccan mosaic. Other attractions of Meknes are the Bab Mansour (a huge gate with arches and mosaic tiling); or the ruins at Heri es-Souani (a vast structure once used as stables and for food storage). You can also admire and learn about the Damascene inlay which is an artisanal technique that consists of embedding a thread of gold, silver or copper on a surface of metal, before making a decorative product.