Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail

The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail is located on Boulevard Moulay Ismail in the old imperial city of Meknès, Morocco. It houses the tomb of Moulay Ismail, the second Alaouite sultan, who reigned from 1672 to 1727 and made Meknès his capital, building palaces, gates, granaries and long walls that still define the city. His reign is remembered for consolidating Alaouite power, for his large army and for his ambitious building programme. The mausoleum complex was built around his tomb and is entered through a series of courtyards and passages. The first courtyards are plain, and the interior of the tomb chamber is richly decorated with carved plaster, painted cedar, zellige tilework and fountains. A pair of clocks given to the sultan by Louis XIV of France are said to be kept in the building, and the tomb is also where his sons and wives are buried. The structure combines classical Moroccan elements such as horseshoe arches and tiled courtyards with a relatively calm sequence of spaces. The site is one of the few active Moroccan religious buildings that non-Muslim visitors may enter, although the innermost tomb chamber may be restricted, and visitors should follow the rules about shoes and quiet behaviour. The mausoleum has been restored over time by the Moroccan authorities, and it remains well kept and in good condition as a place of pilgrimage and a heritage site. Admission is free, and the hours are typically 9:00 to 12:00 and 14:30 to 18:00, with closure on Fridays. The visit takes around 30 minutes, and it fits easily alongside Bab Mansour, Heri es-Souani and the medina on a walking route through the imperial city.