Meknes' imperial city is the work of a man highly revered in Morocco, but whose life story would not appeal much to people in any other country. Moulay Ismail ruled Morocco for 55 years until his death in 1727, a reign long enough to almost complete an imperial city challenging the finest even Europe had ever seen. Tens of thousands, mainly Christian slaves kidnapped from European villages as far north as Iceland by Moroccan pirates, worked and died to complete the more than 50 palaces, the 20 gates and a city wall 45 km long. Much of Moulay Ismail's concepts have survived the centuries, but Meknes is still a city quite possible to cover in a day.
