Bou Inania Madrasa (Meknes)

De **Bou Inania Madrasa** (Arabic: المدرسة البوعنانية *al-madrasa al-Būʿinānīya*; Berber languages: ⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰⵏ ⴱⵓ ⵉⵏⴰⵏⵉⵢⴰ) be historic madrasa (Islamic learning center) insys de city of Meknes, Morocco. De building, well-preserved thanks to later restorations, na dem consider am an excellent example of de richly-decorated madrasas of de Marinid period.

## History

Contrary to wat na de name fi suggest, na e no de Marinid ruler Abu Inan Faris wey found am buh rather by ein poppie Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman insyd 1335-36, as inscriptions insyd de madrasa einself indicate. Na Abu Inan most likely restore de madrasa later during ein own reign, wich fi account for ein current name. Even so, na dem originally know de madrasa as *Madrasat al-Jadida* ("New Madrasa") wey na dem use de name *Bu Inaniya* by historical sources for a much later date. Der be a madrasa plus de same name insyd de city of Fes, wich na Abu Inan build entirely. 

Na de madrasa ein construction be supervised by de city ein *qadi*, Abdallah ibn Abi al-Ghamr. Na ebe one of chaw madrasas insyd de area around de nearby Grand Mosque of Meknes, de city ein main mosque wer na teaching sanso take place. De two oda main madrasas, wey Abu al-Hasan sanso build, na ebe de *Madrasa Shuhud* den de *Madrasat al-Qadi*. Na sultan Moulay Isma'il (he rule 1672-1727) afterwards remodel de latter, wey dem devote am to students from de Tafilalt. Like dese oda madrasas, na dem devote de Bou Inania Madrasa to teaching Islamic sciences buh make e sanso dey provide housing give students.

## Architecture

De madrasa dey cover an area of about 315 square meters. Dem dey enter am from de street via a set of wooden doors plus decorative copper fittings wich dey lead to a long vestibule passage. For de end of dis passage be de entrance to de madrasa ein main courtyard for one syd, de entrance to de madrasa ein ablutions house (for ritual washing) for de oda, den de stairs wey dey lead to de upper floor. De ablutions house (*Dar al-Wudu*) dey consist of anoda courtyard dem surround by 22 changing rooms anaa latrines wey center around a large rectangular water basin.

De madrasa ein main courtyard get a marble water fountain insyd de middle wey ebe surrounded by galleries for either side. Dem richly decorate de courtyard, plus de floor den lower walls dem cover for *zellij* mosaic tilework insyd den de rest of de walls dem cover insyd elaborate carved stucco den carved wood. De galleries, dem shield by *mashrabiya* wooden screens, sanso dey provide access to de students dema private rooms for de ground floor, while more rooms be situated for de upper floor around de courtyard (chaw of dem plus windows onto de courtyard), for a total of 39 student rooms (13 for de ground floor den 26 for de upper floor. For de courtyard ein southeastern syd be a large chamber, dem enter via an ornate archway plus *muqarnas*, wich serve as de madrasa ein mosque anaa prayer hall. Insyd de middle of ein southeastern wall be a *mihrab* (niche wey dey symbolize de direction of prayer) wich be surrounded by intricately-carved stucco decoration plus arabesque den geometric motifs as well as Arabic inscriptions.

French scholar George Marçais, insyd ein major work for Islamic architecture insyd de region, note dat de Bu Inania Madrasa of Meknes wey represent a kind of architectural transition between de madrasas Abu al-Hasan build den de ones ein son Abu Inan build.

## References


## External links

* Manar al-Athar digital photo archive Meknes - Bou Inania Madrasa (photos from many angles and of details)