Moulay Idris
| Moulay Idris مولاي إدريس زرهون ⵎⵓⵍⴰⵢ ⴷⵔⵉⵙ ⵣⵕⵀⵓⵏ |
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| Basic data | |||||
| State : |
 Morocco
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| Region : | Fès-Meknes | ||||
| Prefecture : | Meknes | ||||
| Coordinates | 34 ° 3 ′ N , 5 ° 31 ′ W | ||||
| Residents : | 11,500 (2014) | ||||
| Area : | 2.5 km² | ||||
| Population density : | 4,600 inhabitants per km² | ||||
| Height : | 550 m | ||||
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Moulay Idris or Moulay Driss Zerhoun ( Arabic مولاي إدريس زرهون, DMG Mūlāy Idrīs Zarhūn ; Central Atlas Tamazight ⵎⵓⵍⴰⵢ ⴷⵔⵉⵙ ⵣⵕⵀⵓⵏ Mulay Dris Ẓṛhun ) is a town of about 12,000 inhabitants in the province of Meknes in the region Fez-Meknes in Morocco . Because of the grave of the state's founder Idris I located here, it is considered by many Muslims to be “holy” and was not allowed to be entered by foreigners until well into the 20th century.
location
The city is located about 30 km (driving distance) north of the city of Meknes on an approx. 550 m high hilltop of the Zerhoun massif . A few kilometers away are the ruins of the ancient city of Volubilis . The climate is temperate to warm; Rain (approx. 595 mm / year) falls mainly in the winter months.
population
| year | 1994 | 2004 | 2014 |
| Residents | 12,521 | 12,611 | 11,615 |
Moulay Idris is one of only a few cities in Morocco whose population has remained largely stable over the past 20 years.
economy
Moulay Idris mainly lives from the inner Moroccan pilgrimage tourism. Foreign visitors also bring some money into the city's coffers.
history
The city was founded by Idris I in 788 . Here is also his mausoleum , which was built in a Zāwiya .
Attractions
- From a vantage point behind the city there is an impressive panorama over the city and Idris' I tomb mosque.
- The grave mosque itself is not accessible to non-Muslims.
- The round minaret of a mosque, covered with tiles, rises near the viewpoint.
- Surroundings
- The ruins of ancient Volubilis are only 2 km away.
literature
- Herman Beck: "Sultan Ismāʿīl and the Veneration of Idrīs I at Mawlāy Idrīs in the Dj abal Zarhūn" in Hans Bakker (ed.): The sacred center as the focus of political interest: proceedings of the symposium held on the occasion of the 375th anniversary of the University of Groningen, 5 - 8 March 1989 . Forsten, Groningen, 1992. pp. 53-55.
