Hello my friends,
Today, I'm taking you to a place that I know well, but that I always enjoy rediscovering: Bab Mansour and the famous Place El Hedim, in the centre of the old town (Medina) in Meknes. It's an area that retains a strong soul, an imposing presence. Even when the sky is cloudy, as it was that day, the beauty of the place never wavers.
Yesterday morning, just after having had breakfast, I took a taxi towards the Medina, arriving at around 10am with my phone in one hand, ready to take some photos of this historic place and this emblematic gateway after the completion of the restoration work that had been taking place over the last few months.
As I approached Bab Mansour, I took a moment to simply observe it. We often see this monumental gate, but we don't always take the time to stop and consider the details. The white columns, the green and blue zelliges, the perfect arch above the studded wood... everything exudes the grandeur of the past. This gate was built by a certain Mansour Laalej, and dates from the early 18th century. What has always struck me is the finesse of the work on the motifs. It almost looks like embroidery on stone. And when the sun breaks through the clouds, everything lights up. I took advantage of this moment to take a photo of myself in front of the enormous wooden door, just to freeze the moment, as a nod to time. There was a man with his little family admiring this monument and I asked him to take a photo of me in front of the gate, he was very nice and immediately agreed, smiling and saying a few words that I didn't understand 😂 I think it was in Spanish....
I then took a few steps to find myself in the vast Place El Hedim. It was crowded, as always, but it was a quiet crowd. Families, balloon sellers, tourists, children running around... A simple atmosphere, but full of life. This square is called ‘El Hedim’, which means ‘the demolition’, because at the time, Moulay Ismaïl (King of Morocco who reigned from 1672 to 1727) had an entire district razed to the ground to build his new imperial centre. And today, this same square is a place where people live, pass through and meet. Little cafés under the arcades, taxis waiting by the roadside, shops displaying traditional products of all kinds... Despite the cool air and the clouds dancing in the sky, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. The contrast between the grey skies and the warmth of the people is part of the magic of going out in Meknes.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you enjoyed the photos I took. See you soon for a new post, in another corner of this beautiful city or elsewhere... !
See you soon, my friends!
I'm Redwan from Morocco ! I've always had a passion for travelling and discovery. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than exploring new places, whether historical, archaeological or in the heart of nature. Through my blogs, you can discover the hidden gems of Morocco, whether you want to admire the fascinating architecture of a historic site, delve into the legends surrounding an archaeological site, or simply marvel at the beauty of Moroccan nature!
I took all the photos with my own Redmi Note 11 smartphone, and edited them on canva !
