The Mausoleum of Moulay Isma'il (Arabic: ضريح المولى إسماعيل) is a historic Islamic funerary complex in Meknes, Morocco.
It contains the tomb of Sultan Moulay Isma'il, who ruled Morocco from 1672 until his death in 1727, and is located inside his former Kasbah (citadel).
[5][6] He distinguished himself as a ruler who wished to establish a unified Moroccan state as the absolute authority in the land, independent of any particular group within Morocco – in contrast to previous dynasties which relied on certain tribes or regions as the base of their power.
In practice, he still had to rely on various groups to control outlying areas, but he nonetheless succeeded in retaking many coastal cities occupied by England and Spain and managed to enforce order and heavy taxation throughout his territories.
[9] Since the Kasbah was also a residence for the family of Sultan Ismail to live, the Dar al-Kebira palace also included functional services for recreation such as courtyards and rooms to entertain.
[4] Moulay Isma'il chose this location in part because it was already considered sanctified by the presence of the tomb of Sidi 'Abd ar-Rahman al-Majdub, a 16th-century poet and Sufi mystic.
[4][12] The complex was first built in 1703[13][14]: 48 under Moulay Isma'il, but was modified and expanded multiple times, in particular under his son and brief successor, Ahmad ad-Dhahabi (who ruled, with interruptions, between 1727 and 1729), who was in turn buried here afterwards.
The original complex was less extensive than it is today and its plan likely included only the tomb chamber, the adjoining rooms on either side of it, and the main courtyard leading up to it.
[4] The mausoleum is still visited today by Moroccans seeking baraka from Moulay Isma'il's tomb, in addition to being a significant tourist attraction in the city.
The pavement and lower walls are decorated with zellij tilework that feature circular or radiating geometric patterns, typical of Moroccan architecture.
The upper walls and the areas around the mihrab and doorways are decorated with carved and painted stucco featuring arabesque and epigraphic motifs also typical of Moroccan architecture.