Mechouar Palace

The Mechouar was the walled citadel of the Zayyanid dynasty, who ruled from Tlemcen from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century and made the city one of the intellectual centres of the western Maghreb. The circuit of walls and towers survives in the middle of the modern city, enclosing a large court. The palace inside was demolished and rebuilt in different periods, and what stands today is a substantial reconstruction completed around 2011, when Tlemcen was designated a capital of Islamic culture, built in a Zayyanid manner with a courtyard, arcades, carved plaster and tile. A mosque of the fourteenth century stands within the walls.

What you actually see

• The Zayyanid walls and towers - the citadel circuit in the modern city.
• The reconstructed palace - courtyard, arcades and carved plaster.
• The fourteenth-century mosque - the surviving building inside the walls.
• The central court - the open ground the citadel encloses.

When to go

March to June, then September through November. Two hours. Opening hours are set and it closes on some days. Events in the court can restrict access.

Honest expectations

Most of the palace is a recent reconstruction rather than historic fabric, which disappoints some visitors. Interpretation is limited. Parts are used for events and closed without notice. Photography rules vary.

Nearby

The Great Mosque is a short walk; Mansourah lies west.