Kasbah Cherarda () is a

kasbah A kasbah (, also ; ar, قَـصَـبَـة, qaṣaba, lit=fortress, , Maghrebi Arabic: ), also spelled qasba, qasaba, or casbah, is a fortress, most commonly the citadel or fortified quarter of a city. It is also equivalent to the term ''alca ...

in the city of

Fez, Morocco Fez or Fes (; ar, فاس, fās; zgh, ⴼⵉⵣⴰⵣ, fizaz; french: Fès) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. It is the second largest city in Morocco, with a population of 1.11 m ...

, located on the northern outskirts of Fes el-Jdid. It was initially referred to as Kasbah el-Khemis, the "Thursday Fort" ( ar, قصبة الخمس) as there was an open market held every Thursday outside the wall.Qasba Cherarda
''Archnet''. Retrieved January 11, 2018. The name ''cherarda'' (or ''sherarda'') originates from the name of an Arab tribe whose ''

qaid Qaid ( ar , قائد ', "commander"; pl. '), also spelled kaid or caïd, is a word meaning "commander" or "leader." It was a title in the Norman kingdom of Sicily, applied to palatine officials and members of the ''curia'', usually to those ...

'' had also previously built a kasbah here in order to protect the tribe's granaries. The current kasbah was created by the

Alaouite The Alawi dynasty ( ar, سلالة العلويين الفيلاليين, translit=sulālat al-ʿalawiyyīn al-fīlāliyyīn) – also rendered in English as Alaouite, Alawid, or Alawite – is the current Moroccan royal family and reigning d ...

sultan Mulay al-Rashid after he took over the city in 1666, acting as a garrison fort to house his tribal troops (referred to as ''

guich ''Guich'' tribes, ''Gish'' tribes, or ''Jaysh'' tribes ( jaysh, literally "Army"), or sometimes ''Makhzen'' tribes, were tribes of Arab origin organized by the sultans of Moroccan dynasties to serve as troops and military garrisons, as well as to ...

'' or "army" tribes). It covers a large rectangular area measuring 400 by 550 meters. The tribe of Ashrafah occupied the fortress during the war between the Sultan and his brother Mohammed, before being deported.نفائس فاس العتيقة : بناء 13 قصبة لأغراض عسكرية
''Assabah''. Retrieved January 11, 2018. It constituted one of a number of similar

fortifications A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''face ...

established across the outskirts of Fes, throughout the city's history. Today the kasbah is occupied by a hospital, a high school, and, since 1959–60, a branch or annex of the

University of al-Qarawiyyin The University of al-Qarawiyyin ( ar, جامعة القرويين; ber, ⵜⴰⵙⴷⴰⵡⵉⵜ ⵏ ⵍⵇⴰⵕⴰⵡⵉⵢⵉⵏ; french: Université Al Quaraouiyine), also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is a university located in ...

References

15th-century establishments in Africa Buildings and structures in Fez, Morocco Kasbahs in Morocco 'Alawi architecture {{Morocco-stub

See also

References