Meknès, city, northern Morocco, capital of Meknès Province, on a fertile plain north of the Middle Atlas, near Fès. A former residence of the sultan, the city is on a railroad that links it with the coast, and roads lead to nearby mountain resorts. Industries include fruit, vegetable, and palm-oil processing, metalworking, distilling, and the manufacture of carpets, woolens, and cement. The surrounding plain produces fruits, grains, and vegetables. The city, called the Moroccan Versailles, contains the sultan's palace and grounds and a large marketplace; it is surrounded by a triple tier of walls. The Roman ruins of Volubilis and the holy city of Moulay Idriss, founded in AD788, lie to the north. An Almohade citadel of the 11th century, Meknès served as capital of the country from 1675 to 1728. A former spelling was Meknez. Population (1994) 530,171.
