Our
tour by train of Morocco started in
Fez, the oldest of
the imperial cities, located in the northern part of the country.
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| Nejjarine Fountain |
Fez was founded in 789 by
Idris I; he reunited the Berber tribes of the area and established here his kingdom that prospered until his death.
In the ninth century, waves of immigrants from Spain (mainly Muslim families fleeing following the Catholic Reconquest) and from Tunisia brought new wealth to the city that became increasingly rich and flourishing. The
Al-Karouine University, one of the largest and oldest in the world, was founded in this period. And the city continued to develop: in the eleventh century it had a cosmopolitan population of over 500,000 inhabitants, including Moors, Berbers, Jews, Turks and Christians.
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| Fez, minaret |
Nowadays Fez is divided into three distinct parts even though most tourists are limited to visit Fes-el-Bali (or the old Fez). This heavily populated medieval city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and boasts a wonderfully well preserved pedestrian medina formed by a network of narrow alleys. Here the expression "going back in time" does not seem out of place. In the streets you will share space with mules, street vendors, children playing ball and rigorous men dressed in djellaba.
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| Fez, medina |
The best way to explore it is to deliberately get lost in the maze of the souks, in the fragrant and noisy market streets, full of dried fruit, spices, leather goods, textiles and ceramics. Most of the items on sale are produced around the shops themselves and it is very easy to peek in the laboratories where the artisans work hard from morning to evening.
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| Place Seffarine, Fez |
Among the most important attractions is the
Bou Inania Madrasa, one of the few Islamic religious buildings
open to non-Muslims. Built between 1350-1356 by the Sultan Merenid Bou
Inan, it is considered the most beautiful and most elaborately decorated
medrasa built by the Merinides and features fabulously carved cedar
wood interiors, tiled walls and a beautiful marble entrance courtyard.
And it is the only madrasa in Morocco with a pulpit and a minaret.
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| Medrasa Bou Inania, Fez |
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| Fez medina |
The Kairaouine Mosque is located in the heart of Fes-el-Bali and
non-Muslims cannot enter this huge palace. Often, however, the huge
doors are open and you may be able to take a discreet look inside.
The Dar Batha Museum offers a vast collection of historical treasures
representing a cross-section of the Moroccan arts and the country's
tradition of craftsmanship. Exquisite embroideries, leather goods,
carpets and jewels, wooden sculptures and pottery are all exhibited in
an ancient building, a typical funduq in Moorish style that is worth a visit on itself.
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| Dar Batha Museum, Fez |
When you are tired of the hustle and bustle of the
medina, the Andalusian gardens can offer a peaceful refuge where it is pleasant to stop in the shade.
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| Andalusian garden, Fez |
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| Andalusian garden, Fez |
To the south of the medina is Fes el-Jdid, the new city that dates back to the 13th century, built by the Merenid rulers. Here is the Royal Palace used as a residence by the king of Morocco, hence not open to the public.
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| Royal Palace, Fez |
The area is also where the Jewish quarter is located, which is distinguished by its beautiful ornate balconies and wrought iron windows. Here it is easy to get lost among the dead alleys. It took us a long while to find the ancient sinagogue and the Jewish cemetery, home to hundreds of whitewashed tombs stretching down the hill, and including the tomb of a 14 years old martyr Solica, that in 1834, was killed for having refused to convert to Islam.
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| Jewish quarter, Fez |
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| Jewish quarter, Fez |
A couple of tips:
1. Stay in a Riad in the old town, you'll be able to walk to the medina easily and enjoy the city at its best. We stayed at
Dar Dalila and had a wonderful time!
2. People, especially young men, will often offer their help if you ask for directions but they will expect a tip in change. Sometimes, as it happened to us in the Jewish quarter, they'll give you wrong directions only to come in rescue. We found that women are much more relaxed, and if you ask for a direction, they will just help you without asking anything in change.
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