The city of Meknes has just launched a vast program to rehabilitate and restore its historic walls surrounding the medina via the Agency for the Development and Rehabilitation of the Medina of Fez (ADER-Fez).
The first initiative concerns the second phase of work on the Bab El Kazdir-Borj Kbich section, with a construction budget estimated at between 4.5 Mln MAD (minimum cost) and 9 Mln MAD (maximum cost).
The second project concerns the rehabilitation of the Bab Bradiine-Bab Tizimi Sghira section, 521 metres long, at an estimated cost of between 4 and 8 Mln MAD.
The third project will restore the historic walls of Place El Mechouar, in particular the Borj El Aoudat section, with an estimated budget between 1.5 and 3.1 Mln MAD.
Work will include site installation, shoring, demolition and stripping, archaeological excavations, site remediation and drainage.
In addition to the restoration of the imposing walls, Ismaili city is also undergoing a far-reaching endeavor to improve tourist circuits in the historic districts of Sekkakine, Mellah, and Cheikh El Kamel in the heart of the old medina.
With a budget of 17.3 Mln MAD, the rehabilitation work will affect heritage gems such as the Sebbaghine, Nejjarine, Lahmamsia and Srarya districts, as well as Bezzazine and Bab-Jdid.
Work to rehabilitate and restore historic sites in the Meknes medina falls under the partnership and financing agreement for the Meknes Medina rehabilitation and enhancement program (2019-2023), representing an investment of 800 Mln MAD.
With a budget of 594 Mln MAD, the restoration and enhancement of the medina’s rich historical heritage will be a top priority. Forty million MAD will be allocated to improving accessibility, including the creation of three parking lots, thus facilitating traffic in this thousand-year-old city. Lastly, 166 million MAD will be devoted to boosting the city’s touristic and economic appeal, the driving force behind Meknes’ reputation.
The city of Meknes boasts an impressive architectural heritage, with its imposing ramparts dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. These massive fortifications, built under the reign of Moulay Ismaïl, encircle the old part of the city for almost 40 kilometers.
They were designed to defend the entrance to Meknes, and consist of three distinct concentric enclosures: the ramparts of the imperial city at the core, those of the old medina, and the secondary (peripheral) walls.
A true feat of military engineering, these adobe ramparts are characterized by their imposing dimensions, with heights ranging from 7 to 15 meters and thicknesses varying from 1.50 to 3 meters. Their massive defensive architecture bears witness to the strategic importance of the Ismailit city at the time.