UNESCO World Heritage Site
The historical part of Meknes is the medina, founded in the 11th century. It was founded by the Almoravids as a military colony, and under the reign of Sultan Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), Meknes was the capital of Morocco. He founded the dynasty of the Alawites. Moulay Ismail converted the city into an imposing capital, with imposing Spanish-inspired and Moorish buildings. He surrounded the city with a great wall with righly decorated fabulous doors, to protect and manage the comings and goings of residents and traders from outside the city. The two styles blend well. The city was inscribed in 1996 to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO; it represents the integration of European elements in Islamic art, and is an example of harmonious city planning.
