The 6 Best Historic Sites in Meknes-Tafilalet Region, Morocco

February 12, 2022 Misti Hsu

Discover the best top things to do in Meknes-Tafilalet Region, Morocco including Mohamed Toulali, Moulay Ali Cherif Mausoleum, Ksar El Fida, Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim, Sijilmassa, Mezguida.
Restaurants in Meknes-Tafilalet Region

1. Mohamed Toulali

Adresse : No 06 Bd Essouihla - Jorf, Errachidia 52000 Morocco +212 652-758831 http://WWW.MEDMAROKKOREISEN.COM
Excellent
100%
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5.0 based on 6 reviews

Mohamed Toulali

2. Moulay Ali Cherif Mausoleum

600 Metres From N13, Rissani 52450 Morocco +212 670-912536 http://www.sijilmassatours.com/
Excellent
34%
Good
49%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
1%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 67 reviews

Moulay Ali Cherif Mausoleum

Sijilmassa (pronounced see-jill-moss-uh), a national historic site recognized by Morocco's Ministry of Culture, was the fabled and ancient Berber capital of the Tafilalet Kingdom located at the northern edge of the Sahara desert that once rivaled Marrakech. Founded in A.D. 757 On the banks overlooking the Oued Ziz, a river in the oasis region of the Sahara desert, Sijilmassa grew wealthy and powerful during the Middle Ages as a gold-trade-route city strategically located at the exit-point of the western Trans-Saharan caravan trade route -- which extended from the Niger River in the Sudan to Tangier in northern Morocco.

Reviewed By 11KarenS - New York City, United States

The mausoleum and mosque is only open for Moslem visitors but we got a peek of the inner courtyard. It was so peaceful and quiet. There were a lot of people but as the place is so big you didn’t feel crowded

3. Ksar El Fida

Rissani, Rissani 52450 Morocco
Excellent
30%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
30%
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Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 10 reviews

Ksar El Fida

4. Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim

Rissani 54252 Morocco +212 677-762047 http://www.morocco-private-tour.com
Excellent
30%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
10%
Terrible
10%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 10 reviews

Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim

Reviewed By Marf13669 - Ogdensburg, United States

Moulay Er-Rachid, brother and Caliph of Sultan Hassan I, lived and governed here from 1847. He sided with Vichy France in WWII while the King's family sided with the Allies. The ruins of Ksar Oulad Abdelhalim are part of the former palace complex. Scions of the Alaouite dynasty are still living here and live in fear that they be imprisoned or killed someday for the roll they played during the war. We wandered through this historic and cultural site admiring what used to have been. It was very interesting to walk thru what now are people's living quarters and observe the faded splendor of the past.

5. Sijilmassa

Rissani Morocco +(212)670912536 [email protected] http://www.sijilmassatours.com/
Excellent
27%
Good
55%
Satisfactory
18%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 22 reviews

Sijilmassa

Sijilmassa (pronounced see-jill-moss-uh), a national historic site recognized by Morocco's Ministry of Culture, was the fabled and ancient Berber capital of the Tafilalet Kingdom located at the northern edge of the Sahara desert that once rivaled Marrakech. Founded in A.D. 757 on the banks overlooking the Oued Ziz, a river in the oasis region of the Sahara desert, Sijilmassa grew wealthy and powerful during the Middle Ages as a gold-trade-route city strategically located at the exit-point of the western Trans-Saharan caravan trade route -- which extended from the Niger River in the Sudan to Tangier in northern Morocco. From the 10th to the 12th centuries Sijilmassa was the center of the Gold trade between Morocco and the Sudan, and its legendary glory owes much to this position. Even after its fall as a great commercial center and caravan endpoint, the region of Sijilmassa remained instrumental in the minting of gold brought from the Sudan. Until the 10th century, control over the right to mint coins was held by the central government in the Orient as a means to control the vast expanses of the Arab world. Gold became a key resource in managing the growth of Arab and European economies in the North, and when confronted with the lack of it in their own territories, they started spinning myths about the abundance of gold south of the Sahara that greatly increased caravan commerce. As the flow of gold increased, the temptation to refine and mint it on the way, rather than at its final destination also increased. The minting of gold in Sijilmassa was one of the first acts of rebellion of the Fatimid dynasty, who originated from what is modern day Tunisia (Ifriqiya). In doing so, they directly opposed the ruling government in Baghdad. Sudanese gold refined in Sijilmassa also made it to Europe, where it was minted into European coins. The identical quality and gold proportion between European and Moroccan coins attests to the importance of trade between these regions- and it seems that Europeans minted similar coins precisely to purchase Maghrebi luxury goods. Sijilmassa was initially destroyed in 1363 and rebuilt by Sultan Moulay Isma'il, one of the first rulers (1672 - 1727) of the Alaouite dynasty that governs Morocco today. Ultimately, the city of Sijilmassa was conquered by Ait Atta nomads in 1818. The Roman ruins and Grand Mosque, which was last rebuilt in 1796 and serves as the central feature of this medieval town, are made of unbaked brick that require continual maintenance to preserve. In 1996 Sijilmassa was included on the very first World Monuments Watch "List of 100 Most Endangered Sites", a list created to focus international attention on the cultural significance and threats to endangered locations worldwide, as well as to help raise the necessary funds for preservation. The Watch is a program of the World Monuments Fund (WMF), a New York-based non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting endangered works of art and architecture around the globe.

6. Mezguida

Ksar Mezguida, Rissani 52450 Morocco +212 699-458867 [email protected] http://www.mezguida.com
Excellent
50%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
50%
Poor
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Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 2 reviews

Mezguida

Mezguida is a mud brick building village, it was built at the age of Sultan Moulay Ismail who ruled the kingdom of Morocco back then. Mezguida has a diverse ethnic tribes living in harmony with each other that's what make Mezguida distinguishes from other villages in the oasis of Tafilalet.

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