Bou Inania Madrasa Meknes
A Marinid college of 1335-1336 in the Meknes medina, with a roof terrace that opens over the whole old town.
Updated 21 October 2026
UNESCO World Heritage
The Bou Inania at Meknes is the smaller and quieter counterpart to the famous one in Fes, built in 1335-1336 under the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan as a residential college for students at the Grand Mosque next door, and it follows the same programme: a courtyard with a marble basin, zellige to shoulder height, carved stucco with inscription bands above it, cedar cornices and screens, a prayer hall at one end, and two floors of small student cells behind lattice. What it has that the Fes one does not is access to the roof. A stair leads up onto the terrace above the cells, from which the whole Meknes medina is laid out - the green tiles of the Grand Mosque immediately alongside, roofs running to the walls, and the imperial city beyond - and that view is the reason to come. It is rarely crowded and takes an hour.
History
Despite its name, the madrasa was founded not by Abu Inan but by his father, the Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan, in 1335-1336, as its own inscriptions show; Abu Inan probably restored it later, and it was first known as the New Madrasa, the name Bou Inania appearing in sources only much later. Its building was supervised by the city's qadi, Abdallah ibn Abi al-Ghamr, and it was one of several madrasas around the Grand Mosque of Meknes, where teaching also took place, among them the Madrasa Shuhud and the Madrasat al-Qadi, also built by Abu al-Hasan; like them it taught the Islamic sciences and housed students (Wikipedia, Bou Inania Madrasa - Meknes).
What you'll find
- A fourteenth-century college - courtyard, prayer hall and student cells in the Marinid programme.
- The roof terrace - the whole medina laid out, with the Grand Mosque's tiles alongside.
- Zellige and carved stucco - the standard registers, well preserved and uncrowded.
- The quiet counterpart - the same building type as Fes with a fraction of the visitors.
When to go
October to April; late afternoon on the roof. An hour.
What to expect
It is smaller and plainer than the Fes Bou Inania. The stairs to the roof are narrow and steep. The Grand Mosque next door is closed to non-Muslims. Entry is charged.
Nearby
El Hedim square and Bab Mansour are south; the medina souks surround it.
Key facts
Source: Wikidata, item Q29661, read on 18 October 2026.
What to pack for Bou Inania Madrasa Meknes
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Modest clothing - Shoulders and knees covered - the single most common requirement. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
- A scarf or shawl - To cover the head or shoulders on entry; women especially at mosques. Find on Amazon
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