Fez el-Bali – the Medina
Fez el-Bali, the older and more culturally and historically significant section of the Fez medina, climbs up from the Fez river on both sides. The narrow river originally divided the settlement into two competing cities. Eventually, bridges spanned the river. And, in the very heart of the medina, one of the few car roads in the medina covers the river and connects the two sides.
Religious Sites in the Fez Medina
Our guide expertly led us through the souks, by the caravansaries, and around the historical sites of the city. According to UNESCO, Fez boasts the oldest university in the world, University of Al-Karaouine, founded in 859. As it is still an active mosque, and a very sacred one at that, we were not permitted to enter. However, we could look through the gates. The courtyard I could see echoes those of Granada in the Alhambra.
We did get to go into another historic Islamic school, Al-Attarine Madrasa, built in the 14th century. No longer an active school or mosque, I oohed and awed as I examined the details of the building from its exquisite stone and wood carving to its intricate plaster work colorful mosaics. I also enjoyed exploring its four corner courtyard tower spaces where the monastic rooms can be found.
We found the lavishly decorated tomb of Idris II, a descendant of Mohammed. His tomb is one of the holiest shrines in Morocco, so we were not permitted to enter. The décor, however, extends to the exterior of the building and surrounding alleys. There’s even a bar at the entrance to an alley on the way to the tomb that causes pilgrims to lower their heads and essentially bow as they enter the sacred perimeter.
Everyday Life
The thing I loved most about the Fez medina is its authenticity. Unlike Tangier’s medina, which feels worn and tired or Marrakech’s with its large plaza and very touristy feeling market all around, Fez’s medina feels real. The people shopping in the souks are locals buying their groceries from other locals. We passed through the fish market, meat market, and others. Carpenters’ workshops overflowed with sawdust and wood shavings. Metal workers repaired lamps and large vessels in the square where they’ve done it for centuries. Yes, there are some places for tourists, but they are fewer and farther between than the real Fez life.
Tanneries
Tanning is one of the big industries in Fez. The Chouara Tannery is one of the oldest operating in the world. Its distinctive vats are full of natural concoctions that soften the hides and others with dyes that color the hides. This along with the many other tanneries in the Fez medina, process cow, sheep, goat, and camel hides. The natural process includes cow urine and pigeon poop, and the dyes are all natural using poppy, henna, and indigo.
When you visit a tannery, you most likely access the roof of a surrounding building through a leather goods shop. They provide you with a stem of mint to help mask the scents, which didn’t bother me. Below, you see the vats and men walking the narrow walls between them. All around on roofs and walls, you see hides hung to dry. It is a fascinating look into an ancient profession that we have all benefited from.
Fez Forts and Potters’ Quarter
Our tour also took us up to the southern fort that overlooks the valley the medina fills. From there, we could see the sprawling mass of buildings, the warren of Fez’s medina. Across the valley, ruins of another fort stand as well as the tombs of the Marinids. Our guide told us that a tunnel exists that connects the two forts. If that’s true, it would be an amazing engineering feat, something I’d love to explore.
On the outskirts of the medina, potters work in modern pottery workshops. This is, of course, one of those stops on a tour that a guide throws in because he gets a kick-back from the shop. I’ve been taken to these types of places many times in India, Turkey, China, and now Morocco. Most of the time, they offer a fascinating look into an important local or cultural industry. Sometimes though, they’re pushy sales pitches. This visit was not so much of a sales pitch. Instead, we got to learn how the pottery is made and decorated. Then, we could peruse the shop if we wanted to. I didn’t feel pressured to buy anything or like it was a sales pitch. I love seeing how one of my favorite features of Moroccan design is created, notably the ceramic mosaics. If I ever build a house, I’d want to return to the potters’ quarter of Fez and buy direct from the artist communities there. I did get a lovely cookie jar that I’m very happy with.
I wish we had had a day or two more in Fez. It is a truly magical city with so much charm and character. It is definitely a place I hope to return to visit again someday.
