Dar al-Makina

The Dar al-Makina or simply Makina is a former arms factory (also called Dar al-Silah) in Fez, Morocco.

The entrance to the Dar al-Makina (left), at the New Mechouar.

History

The Makina (an Arabic adaptation of the word "machine") was established by Sultan Moulay Hassan in 1885-86 with the help of Italian officers.[1][2] The northern gate of the New Mechouar, known as Bab Khibbat es-Smen ("Gate of the Butter Niche"), also dates from the 1886 construction of Moulay Hassan.[1] The arms factory was an early attempt at industrialization in Fez and was part of the sultan's efforts to modernize the Moroccan army to compete with European powers, though they did not have enormous effect.[2]:353–355[3] The factory is no longer in use today and stands abandoned and partially ruined. The structure is scheduled to be restored between 2018 and 2023 as part of a broader plan to restore over a hundred historic monuments in Fez.[4]

Description

The building occupies the western side of the New Mechouar square near the Dar al-Makhzen (Royal Palace) in Fes el-Jdid. It is entered by a gateway, Bab Makina, in an Italianate architectural style opening on the west side of the square.[1] Inside, the Makina consists of a vast series of vaulted chambers, similar to the architecture of the Heri as-Souani, the royal granaries of Moulay Ismail in Meknes.[2]

References
  1. Parker, Richard (1981). A practical guide to Islamic Monuments in Morocco. Charlottesville, VA: The Baraka Press.
  2. Le Tourneau, Roger (1949). Fès avant le protectorat : étude économique et sociale d'une ville de l'occident musulman. Casablanca: Société Marocaine de Librairie et d'Édition.
  3. "Dar al-Makina". Archnet. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  4. "Médina de Fès: La restauration continue à coups de milliards". L'Economiste (in French). 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2020-06-16.

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