Moulay Idriss is regarded as the founder of Morocco and is venerated as a saint: the town bearing his name, which he built as his capital, is one of the holiest places for Morocco’s Muslims and can be found a short distance north of Meknes. The town today is small, and attractively clustered over a couple of small hills, with narrow lanes and high-walled houses. At its heart is the mausoleum of Moulay Idriss, which is barred to non-Muslims (literally, with wooden beams to keep out non-believers and beasts of burden!); from a nearby hilltop you get wonderful views over the town and the mausoleum complex – look out for the very unusual cylindrical minaret of the Moulay Idriss Medersa.
