Moulay Idriss
Moulay Idriss in the hills of northern Morocco. Photo by Fred Martini.
The green conical roof of the tomb of Moulay Idriss stands out amidst the
hilltop city he founded. Photo by Kazuhisa Otsubo.
Tomb and city of Moulay Idriss from above. Photo by Anna Maj Michelson.
Entrance to the Tomb of Moulay Idriss. Photo by Kazuhisa Otsubo.
"Muslims Only" sign in French and Arabic. Photo by Kazuhisa Otsubo.
The modern minaret of the Idriss Medersa. Photo by Kazuhisa Otsubo.
Moulay Idriss is a town and important religious site that makes a good day trip from Meknes. For many centuries it has been a place of pilgrimage, thanks to its tomb of the city's founder, Moulay Idriss el Akhbar, a decendent of the Prophet Muhammad.
History
Moulay Idriss el Akhbar was a great-grandson of the Prophet Muhammad: his grandparents were Muhammad's daughter Fatima and Muhammad's cousin Ali.
Idriss was heir to the caliphate in Damascus, but after the civil war and Umayyad victory that led to the Shia-Sunni divide, he fled to Morocco. Arriving in 787, Moulay Idriss founded Morocco's first Arab dynasty.
He first came to power in Volubilis, the ancient Roman city that was then still the main center of the north. He built his capital city on a nearby site that was more easily defended, which was later named Moulay Idriss after him. He also began construction on the city of Fes.
Word of Idriss' success reached the Umayyads in the east, and in 792 they had him poisoned. If they assumed his kingdom would perish with him, they were mistaken. He had succeeded in converting Morocco's mostly pagan (but some were Christians and Jews) Berber tribes to Islam and was supported by many Arab Shiites loyal to the successors of the Prophet.
After Moulay Idriss' assassination, his servant Rashid took over as regent until 807, when his son Idriss II was old enough to assume the throne of the Idrissid Dynasty.
Today, the tomb of Moulay Idriss, which was rebuilt by Moulay Ismail (1672-1727), is still much revered. It is the object of constant pilgrimage and hosts an important summer mousseum in the second week of August.
What to See
The main sight of this hilltop city is of course the tomb of Moulay Idriss, which is barred to non-Muslims. Good exterior views of it can be had from above, however, and anyone can approach the entrance (blocked a low wooden bar).
The best views of the tomb and the city can be had from the Restaurant Trois Boules d'Or (tel. 055 54 40 21; open daily 10-10) on the Terrasse Sidi Abdallah el Hajjam.
The winding streets on the way are a highlight of a visit to the town of Moulay Idriss, but it is easy to get lost. You can enlist the help of a young guide from the main square below.
Another interesting sight of Moulay Idriss is the Idriss Medersa, which was built from materials taken from Volubilis. It has an unusual modern minaret (1939), which is cylindrical in shape and has a chapter from the Qur'an inscribed in green mosaics.
Map
Location map and satellite view of Moulay Idriss. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. or a larger view, see our Morocco Map or Google Earth download.
Sources
- The Rough Guide to Morocco, 7th ed. (October 2004).
