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Morocco

Imperial Cities

Fès, Marrakech, Meknès and Rabat: four capitals, four eras

Bab Mansour, the great gate of Meknès

Bab Mansour, the great gate of Meknès. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Morocco's four imperial cities each ruled in turn: Fès (the Idrisid and Marinid capital), Marrakech (Almoravid and Saadian), Meknès (Moulay Ismail's 17th-century capital) and Rabat (the modern capital since 1956). Together they are the spine of any first trip.

The Chouara tannery, Fès
FèsFès-Meknès · The oldest: Fès el-Bali, the tanneries, al-Qarawiyyin.
The Koutoubia minaret, Marrakech
MarrakechMarrakech-Safi · The Red City: Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Koutoubia, the souks.
Bab Mansour, the great gate of Meknès
MeknèsFès-Meknès · Moulay Ismail's capital: Bab Mansour, the granaries.
The Hassan Tower, Rabat
RabatRabat-Salé-Kénitra · The modern capital: the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah of the Udayas.
The Roman ruins of Volubilis
VolubilisFès-Meknès · The Roman prelude to the imperial cities, near Meknès.

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