Moulay Idriss

Moulay Idriss
Moulay Idriss Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 34°3′15″N 5°31′38″W / 34.05417°N 5.52722°W / 34.05417; -5.52722
Country	Morocco
Region	Meknès-Tafilalet
Population (2004)
– Total	12,611
Time zone	WET (UTC+0)
– Summer (DST)	WEST (UTC+1)

The mosque of Moulay Idriss.

Moulay Idriss or Moulay Idriss Zerhoun (Arabic: مولاي إدريس‎), a town in northern Morocco located at34°3′15″N 5°31′38″W / 34.05417°N 5.52722°W / 34.05417; -5.52722Coordinates: 34°3′15″N 5°31′38″W / 34.05417°N 5.52722°W / 34.05417; -5.52722, is named after Moulay Idris I, the founder of the Idrisid Dynasty.^[1] Moulay is a term roughly equivalent to "Prince" or "Lord". Idris founded both Fez and the city that bears his name. His tomb, located in Moulay Idriss, is a pilgrimage site for Muslims. The mosque, however, is off limits to non-Muslims (and has a sign to that effect at the entrance to the courtyard)

The ruins of the Phoenician and Roman city of Volubilis^[2] are located nearby. The nearest big city is Meknes, 25 kilometres away (served both by bus and "Grand Taxi"). Within the other city he founded, Fez, there exists in the old medina a shrine dedicated to Moulay Idriss where the Muslim faithful come to burn candles and pray. It is near the Kairaouine Mosque where entry is restricted to Muslims.

Idriss I reportedly spent five years in Morocco before he was allegedly murdered in the year 792.

See also

• Bou Assel
• Douar Doukkara

References

1. ^ Stefan Goodwin, Africa's Legacies of Urbanization: Unfolding Saga of a Continent, 2006, Lexington Books, 514 pages. ISBN 0739107313.
2. ^ C. Michael Hogan, Volubilis, The Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham (2007)

External links

• Lexicorient