Hi everyone!
Today, I'm taking you on a tour of a little-known treasure of Meknes, which is just a few minutes from where I live and so I took this walk just on foot: this little-known treasure is the historic Mansour Palace!
On my way to the Mansour Palace, I chose to pass through the majestic historic Bab El Bettioui gate. This gate, with its imposing arches and its history engraved in its stones, sets the tone for what awaits us behind it. It is a gateway to another century, a time when Meknes shone under the authority of Sultan Moulay Ismaïl.
Bab El Bettioui is one of the many historic gates of Meknes, Morocco. It is located near the Palais Mansour, a structure that forms part of the impressive remains left by Sultan Moulay Ismaïl in the 17ᵉ century, when Meknes was the imperial capital.
This gate, like others in the city, reflects Ismaili architecture characterised by its monumental style and meticulous decoration. The gates of Meknes, such as Bab Mansour, Bab El Khemis, Bab belqari, Bab tizimi.... and Bab El Bettioui, served both as strategic passages and symbols of greatness and power.
The Bab El Bettioui gate, less well known than the other gates, stands out for its simplicity and its historic role in the network of gates that protected the medina (ancient city). It bears witness to the rich heritage of Meknes.
As soon as I arrived at the palace, I noticed a particular hustle and bustle: scaffolding, workmen at work... Restoration work is underway, and I've learned that everything should be ready by next year. This is excellent news, because this palace deserves to be restored to its former glory!
This palace, located in the southern part of the Ismaili Kasbah, is much more than just a building. Built between 1721 and 1725, shortly before the death of Moulay Ismaïl, it illustrates the architectural audacity of the period. It is not a traditional palace, but rather a fascinating mix of functions: The ground floor was used as a storage area for foodstuffs. The upper floor was used for housing. It is this contrast between utilitarian function and princely comfort that makes this palace so special. In addition to its role as a dwelling and storage facility, the palace also served as a fortress, a surveillance point and even a weapons depot.
The Mansour Palace impresses with its gigantic proportions and architectural details. With its twenty majestic domes, each pierced with windows, it offered an unrestricted view of Meknes and the surrounding area. These domes also served as functional elements for ventilating and lighting the vast warehouses below.
At its heart, seven domes were dedicated to the storage of horses' saddles and weapons, underlining the strategic importance of this site. It is a blend of robustness and elegance, a silent witness to a bygone era.
Good news for heritage enthusiasts: the Mansour Palace will soon be restored to its former glory! The City's Development Agency has announced an ambitious project to completely restore this historic building.
With a budget of 7 billion centimes, the project aims to breathe new life into the structure, while preserving the beauty of its original façade. The work is expected to take around 12 months, and I can't wait to see this monument reborn and come alive again.
I only took a few photos of the outside because, for security reasons and to protect my well-being, I was forbidden to enter. Inside, the work is intense: stones and earth are in a critical state, making access dangerous. But I'll be back as soon as the renovations are complete and the palace is fully restored and open to the public.
While I was at the gate, chatting to the caretaker in charge of overseeing the work, he gave me a fascinating insight into what the palace holds. His descriptions really transported me, evoking incredible landscapes and elements inside. It aroused my curiosity and strengthened my desire to discover these wonders.
Imagine a palace brought back to life, where every stone tells an ancient story and every detail reflects a rich history and culture. I promise that as soon as access is secured, I will take you on a journey, through my photos and my words, to explore the hidden wonders of this palace.
In any case, this morning walk was a great weekend activity and I'm so happy to have been able to share this moment with you.
Very soon I'll be visiting the beautiful city of FES, one of Morocco's oldest cities (Morocco's scientific capital), and together we'll be discovering the cultural and architectural riches and magical historical monuments that abound in this city, which was founded in the 9th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
Thanks for reading and see you soon!
Photos taken by my own phone (Samsung Galaxy A04s).
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Looks nice and like nice weather too.
Hiya, @ybanezkim26 here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Travel Digest #2396.
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