THE BOOK OF
بني ملال
History, places, people, culture and food of Beni Mellal, told by two Moroccans.
CHAPTER I
Backed against the Middle Atlas and facing the great Tadla plain, Beni Mellal lives from its springs, olive trees and orange groves. Its Ras el-Ain kasbah dates from Moulay Ismail, and the Ouzoud falls are under two hours away.
CHAPTER II
Medieval Arabic sources say little about the site. It may correspond to Hisn Dai, a town entrusted in the 9th century to the Idrisid prince Yahya ibn Idris, son of Idris II, and taken by the Almohads in 1141.
The town was called Kasbah Beni Mellal, but also Bel Kouch, from "kouch", black in Amazigh. Its present name comes from the surrounding tribe, the Beni Mellal, an Arab tribe of Jusham origin whose ancestor is said to be Muhammad al-Mallal.
In 1688 the Alaouite sultan Moulay Ismail built a kasbah at the foot of the mountain, near the Ain Asserdoun spring, to control the Tadla plain and the routes to the Atlas. Today's town grew around it.
The kasbah, now called the Ras el-Ain kasbah, was restored in the 19th century by Sultan Moulay Slimane, then in 1916 by the protectorate administration.
In 1918 the town had only about 3,000 inhabitants. Under the protectorate, major irrigation works on the Tadla plain, fed in particular by the Bin el-Ouidane dam completed in 1953, turned the region into a farming breadbasket: citrus, sugar beet, olives.
Beni Mellal became a large city and, since 2015, the capital of the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region. It is also a land of emigration, mainly to Italy and Spain.
CHAPTER III
1000–1200
Medieval geographers describe Day, the town that preceded Beni Mellal.
1688
Moulay Ismail builds Kasbah Bel Kush above the springs of Ain Asserdoun.
CHAPTER IV
1
The spring and its terraced gardens, above which stands the Ras el-Ain kasbah, looking over the whole plain.
2
Over 100 m of falls, macaques and olive trees: the region's star outing.
3
A turquoise lake among the mountains, for kayaking, swimming and guesthouses.
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER VI
The weekly souks mix Amazigh highlanders and Arabic-speaking Tadla farmers; the region is also a big source of emigration to Italy and Spain.
The weekly markets (Mondays) attract Berber farmers from throughout the region. The Tadla plain is Morocco's olive oil heartland — cooperative presses are active from November to January. The Aït Bou Guemez Valley (1.5h drive) is one of Morocco's last traditional Berber villages.
CHAPTER VII
Residents come from the Arab tribes of the Tadla plain and the Amazigh mountain tribes. The region is also a land of emigration, notably to Italy and Spain.
Plains darija is known as frank and rural; in the mountains people speak Tamazight. Aita and sheikhat music liven up celebrations.
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER IX
Allow 1–2 days to see Beni Mellal without rushing. That is the length we use in our itineraries.
The best months for Beni Mellal are April, May, September and October.
Per person per day, accommodation included: about $25 on a budget, $60 mid-range and $140 for a luxury stay.
CTM buses from Casablanca (3h), Marrakech (3h), Fes (4h). No train. Small airport with limited service.
The must-sees of Beni Mellal: Cascades d'Ouzoud, Kasbah Ras el-Ain and Source Ain Asserdoun.
To taste in Beni Mellal: Khobz, Moroccan mint tea, Oranges with cinnamon and Msemen.
The best areas to stay: City center.
Yes, Beni Mellal welcomes many travellers every year. The precautions are those of any tourist destination: watch your belongings in crowds, politely turn down unofficial guides, agree on a taxi fare before getting in.
Yes, Beni Mellal is easy to visit with children.
To go further and check what we write.
