Who is buried in the mausoleum?

The mausoleum contains the tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail, who died in 1727, along with the tombs of his son and successor Ahmad ad-Dhahabi and the later sultan Moulay Abd ar-Rahman, who died in 1859.

What should I wear to visit?

As an active religious site, the mausoleum calls for modest dress covering shoulders and knees, and visitors remove their shoes before entering. Women are advised to cover their heads out of respect.

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Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail

Tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail (d. 1727), open to non-Muslims

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Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, Meknes

Tomb of Sultan Moulay Ismail (d. 1727), open to non-Muslims

The Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail holds the tomb of the sultan who made Meknes his capital and ruled Morocco for 55 years, from 1672 until his death in 1727. Built within his imperial kasbah and completed in 1703, it is one of the relatively few religious monuments in Morocco that non-Muslims may enter, reaching the courtyards and antechamber before the tomb hall itself. The interior is richly decorated with zellij, carved plaster and painted cedar, and the tomb chamber holds marble tombstones and two grandfather clocks said to have been a gift from King Louis XIV of France. It remains an active place of pilgrimage as well as a major visitor site.

Location

Meknes

FAQs

Yes. The mausoleum is one of the few religious monuments in Morocco open to non-Muslims. Visitors of all faiths can enter the courtyards and antechamber and view the tomb hall through a doorway, though they do not step into the tomb chamber itself.