Mosque-mausoleum of Sultan Mulay Ishmail
Description:
The mosque-mausoleum of Sultan Moulei Ismail, one of the greatest rulers of Morocco, consists of three brightly decorated courts, a mosque and the tomb of the Sultan and his family. It is believed that the visit of the burial site of Mulay Ismail brings all visitors and pilgrims a divine blessing.
The full name of the sultan is Mulay Abu-ul Nasir Ismail as-Samine ibn Rashid, he was the second ruler of Morocco of the Alawite dynasty (1672-1727). He chose Meknes as the capital of his empire in 1672 and built a 25-kilometer defensive wall. He wanted to turn Meknes into a Moroccan Versailles. Ishmael asked Louis XIV for the hand of one of his daughters.
Mulay Ismail is Morocco’s most notorious ruler. In his time, he gained a reputation for toughness, with which he sustained himself and his megalomania. He created monuments and palaces on other monuments and palaces. Many slaves and prisoners built his tomb. He is buried in the mausoleum with one of his 500 wives and two of his 800 children.