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Fez () or Fes (; ) is a city in northern inland
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
. Located to the northwest of the
Atlas Mountains The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. They separate the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range, which stretches around through M ...
, it is surrounded by hills and the old city is centered around the Fez River (''Oued Fes'') flowing from west to east. Fez has been called the "
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
of the West" and the "
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
of Africa". It is also considered the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco. Founded under Idrisid rule during the 8th century CE, Fez initially consisted of two autonomous and competing settlements. Successive waves of mainly Arab immigrants from
Ifriqiya Ifriqiya ( '), also known as al-Maghrib al-Adna (), was a medieval historical region comprising today's Tunisia, eastern Algeria, and Tripolitania (roughly western Libya). It included all of what had previously been the Byzantine province of ...
(
Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
) and
al-Andalus Al-Andalus () was the Muslim-ruled area of the Iberian Peninsula. The name refers to the different Muslim states that controlled these territories at various times between 711 and 1492. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied most o ...
(
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
/
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
) in the early 9th century gave the nascent city its Arab character. After the downfall of the Idrisid dynasty, other empires came and went until the 11th century when the
Almoravid The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almo ...
Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
Yusuf ibn Tashfin Yusuf ibn Tashfin, also Tashafin, Teshufin, (; reigned c. 1061 – 1106) was a Sanhaja leader of the Almoravid Empire. He cofounded the city of Marrakesh and led the Muslim forces in the Battle of Sagrajas. Yusuf ibn Tashfin came to al-And ...
united the two settlements into what is today's Fes el-Bali () quarter, Medina of Fez. Under Almoravid rule, the city gained a reputation for religious scholarship and mercantile activity. Fez reached its zenith in the
Marinid The Marinid dynasty ( ) was a Berber Muslim dynasty that controlled present-day Morocco from the mid-13th to the 15th century and intermittently controlled other parts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and of the southern Iberian Peninsula ...
era (13th–15th centuries), regaining its status as political capital. Numerous new
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
s and
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s were constructed, many of which survive today, while other structures were restored. These buildings are counted among the hallmarks of
Moorish The term Moor is an exonym used in European languages to designate the Muslim populations of North Africa (the Maghreb) and the Iberian Peninsula (particularly al-Andalus) during the Middle Ages. Moors are not a single, distinct or self-defi ...
and Moroccan architectural styles. In 1276 the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub also founded the royal administrative district of
Fes Jdid Fes Jdid or Fes el-Jdid () is one of the three parts of Fez, the second largest city of Morocco. It was founded by the Marinids in 1276 as an extension of Fes el Bali (the old city or ''medina'') and as a royal citadel and capital. It is occup ...
(), where the Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) is still located today, to which extensive gardens were later added. During this period the
Jewish population the world's core Jewish population (those identifying as Jews above all else) was estimated at 15.8 million, which is approximately 0.2% of the 8 billion worldwide population. Israel hosts the largest core Jewish population in the world with ...
of the city grew and the
Mellah A ''mellah'' ( or 'saline area'; and ) is the place of residence historically assigned to Jewish communities in Morocco. The urban ''mellah'', as it exists in numerous cities and large towns, is a Jewish quarter enclosed by a wall and a fortifi ...
(Jewish quarter) was formed on the south side of this new district. After the overthrow of the Marinid dynasty, the growth of Fez stalled and the city subsequently competed with Marrakesh for political and cultural influence. It became the capital again under the 'Alawi dynasty up until 1912. The city consists of two old
medina quarter A medina (from ) is a historical district in a number of North African cities, often corresponding to an old walled city. The term comes from the Arabic word simply meaning "city" or "town". Historical background Prior to the rise and intrusi ...
s, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, and the much larger modern urban area founded during the
French colonial French colonial architecture includes several styles of architecture used by the French during colonization. French colonial architecture has a long history, beginning in North America in 1604 and being most active in the Western Hemisphere (Car ...
era. The Medina of Fez is listed as a
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
and is one of the world's largest and oldest urban
pedestrian zone Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town restricted to use by people on foot or ...
s (car-free areas). It contains the
University of al-Qarawiyyin The University of al-Qarawiyyin (), also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is a university located in Fez, Morocco. It was founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri in 857–859 and subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educ ...
which was founded in 857 and is the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world. It also contains the Chouara Tannery from the 11th century, one of the oldest
tanneries Tanning may refer to: *Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather *Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin **Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun **Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
in the world.


Etymology

The name of the city in
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
is ''Fās'' (or in traditional
Maghrebi script Maghrebi script or Maghribi script or Maghrebi Arabic script () refers to a loosely related family of Arabic scripts that developed in the Maghreb (North Africa), al-Andalus (Iberian Peninsula, Iberia), and Sudan (region), ''Bilad as-Sudan'' (th ...
), from which the English names Fez, Fès, and Fas are derived. According to some traditions, the city's name comes from the Arabic word ''Faʾs'', meaning
pickaxe A pickaxe, pick-axe, or pick is a generally T-shaped hand tool used for Leverage (mechanics), prying. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood, occasionally metal, and increasingly ...
. Various legends have been reported to explain this etymology. One tells the story of a gold pickaxe found on site during the city's construction, while another claims that Idris I used a silver and gold pickaxe to dig alongside his workers. Another account reported by
Ibn Abi Zar Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Abī Zarʿ al-Fāsī () (d. between 1310 and 1320) is the commonly presumed original author of the popular and influential medieval history of Morocco known as '' Rawd al-Qirtas'',''Encyclopedia of Arabic literature: A ...
claims that an ancient city named "Sef" had previously existed on the site and that Idris I reversed the letters of this name to create the name "Fes". It was also suggested that the name is a Znati form of "afas" meaning "ruins", as Fez may have been built on the ruins of an older city. A further hypothesis suggests that it comes from "Fazaz", which is the name of a nearby region, or from " (faẖs)" meaning "plain wide land". During the rule of the
Idrisid dynasty The Idrisid dynasty or Idrisids ( ') were an Arabs, Arab Muslims, Muslim dynasty from 788 to 974, ruling most of present-day Morocco and parts of present-day western Algeria. Named after the founder, Idris I of Morocco, Idris I, the Idrisids were ...
(788 to 974), Fez consisted of two cities: ''Fās'', founded by Idris I, and ''al-ʿĀliyá'', founded by his son,
Idris II Idrīs ibn Idrīs () known as Idris II () and Idrīs al-Azhar/al-Aṣghar () (August 791 – August 828), was the son of Idris I of Morocco, Idris I, the founder of the Idrisid dynasty in Morocco. He was born in Volubilis, Walīlī two months aft ...
. During this period the capital city was known as ''al-ʿĀliyá'', with the name ''Fās'' being reserved for the separate site on the other side of the river. No Idrisid coins have been found with the name Fez, only ''al-ʿĀliyá'' and ''al-ʿĀliyá Madinat Idris''. It is not known whether the name ''al-ʿĀliyá'' ever referred to both urban areas. The two cities were united in 1070 and the name ''Fās'' was used for the combined site.


History


Foundation and the Idrisids

The city was first founded in 789 as ''Madinat Fas'' on the southeast bank of the Jawhar River (now known as the Fez River) by Idris I, founder of the
Idrisid dynasty The Idrisid dynasty or Idrisids ( ') were an Arabs, Arab Muslims, Muslim dynasty from 788 to 974, ruling most of present-day Morocco and parts of present-day western Algeria. Named after the founder, Idris I of Morocco, Idris I, the Idrisids were ...
. Idris I was an
Hasanid The Ḥasanids ( or , ) are the descendants of Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī, brother of Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī and grandson of Muhammad. They are a branch of the Alids (the descendants of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib), and one of the two most important branche ...
Sharif Sharīf or Sherif (, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the fami ...
from
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
who was forced to flee the
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
after a failed revolt against the
Abbasid Caliphate The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes ...
, eventually moving to northern Morocco and conquering much of the area. His son,
Idris II Idrīs ibn Idrīs () known as Idris II () and Idrīs al-Azhar/al-Aṣghar () (August 791 – August 828), was the son of Idris I of Morocco, Idris I, the founder of the Idrisid dynasty in Morocco. He was born in Volubilis, Walīlī two months aft ...
,"Fes". ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 2007. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 3 March 2007 built a settlement called ''al-ʿĀliyá'' on the opposing river bank in 809 and moved his capital here from Walili (Volubilis). The early population was composed mostly of
Berbers Berbers, or the Berber peoples, also known as Amazigh or Imazighen, are a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arab migrations to the Maghreb, Arabs in the Maghreb. Their main connec ...
, along with hundreds of Arab warriors from
Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( , ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661 ...
who made up Idris II's entourage. Arab immigration to Fez increased afterwards. Andalusi families of mixed
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
and
Iberian Iberian refers to Iberia. Most commonly Iberian refers to: *Someone or something originating in the Iberian Peninsula, namely from Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra. The term ''Iberian'' is also used to refer to anything pertaining to the fo ...
descent, who were expelled from
Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, the second largest city in Argentina and the capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cord ...
after a rebellion in 817–818 against
al-Hakam I Abu al-As al-Hakam ibn Hisham ibn Abd al-Rahman () was Umayyad Emir of Cordoba from 796 until 822 in Al-Andalus ( Moorish Iberia). Biography Al-Hakam was the second son of his father, his older brother having died at an early age. When he came ...
, were one major component of the immigrant population. These families mainly settled in ''Madinat Fas''. The immigrants from Kairouan and al-Andalus gave the city its Arabic character and would subsequently give their name to the districts of and . The city also had a prominent
Jewish community Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, religion, and community are highly inte ...
, probably consisting of
Zenata The Zenata (; ) are a group of Berber tribes, historically one of the largest Berber confederations along with the Sanhaja and Masmuda. Their lifestyle was either nomadic or semi-nomadic. Society The 14th-century historiographer Ibn Khaldun repo ...
Berbers who had previously converted to
Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...
, as well as a small remaining
Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
population for a time. The Jews were especially concentrated in a northeastern district of ''al-ʿĀliyá'', known as ''Funduq el-Yihoudi'' (near the present-day
Bab Guissa Bab Guissa or Bab Gisa ( or ) is the main northwestern Gates of Fez, gate of Fes el Bali, the old walled city of Fez, Morocco, Fes, Morocco. History A gate by this name had existed in this part of the Fortifications of Fez, city walls since at ...
gate). Following the death of Idris II in 828 the region was divided among his sons. The eldest,
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
, received Fez, but some of his brothers attempted to break away from his leadership, resulting in an internecine conflict. Although the Idrisid realm was eventually reunified and enjoyed a period of peace under
Ali ibn Muhammad Ali bin Muhammad bin Idris () was the fourth Idrisid sultan of Morocco. Life Ali was the son of Muhammad ibn Idris, whom he succeeded in March/April 836 at the age of nine. During his infancy, the chieftains of the Berber tribes acted as his re ...
and
Yahya ibn Muhammad Yahya ibn Muhammad (; died 863) was the fifth Idrisid ruler of Morocco. Life Yahya was a younger son of the fourth Idrisid emir, Muhammad ibn Idris, and took over the rule in Morocco after the death of his brother Ali I in January 849. Fo ...
, it fell into decline again in the late 9th century. In the 10th century, the city was contested by the Umayyad Caliphate of
Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, the second largest city in Argentina and the capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cord ...
and the
Fatimid Caliphate The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia, i ...
of
Ifriqiya Ifriqiya ( '), also known as al-Maghrib al-Adna (), was a medieval historical region comprising today's Tunisia, eastern Algeria, and Tripolitania (roughly western Libya). It included all of what had previously been the Byzantine province of ...
(Tunisia), who ruled the city through a host of
Zenata The Zenata (; ) are a group of Berber tribes, historically one of the largest Berber confederations along with the Sanhaja and Masmuda. Their lifestyle was either nomadic or semi-nomadic. Society The 14th-century historiographer Ibn Khaldun repo ...
clients. The Fatimids took the city in 927 and expelled the Idrisids definitively, after which their
Miknasa The Miknasa (Berber: ''Imeknasen'') was a Zenata Berber tribe of the Maghreb. History The Miknasa Berbers historically populated the Aurès and are part of the Dharisa tribe belonging to Botr who descended from Madghis, coming from the Aures m ...
(one of the Zenata tribes) were installed there. The city, along with much of northern Morocco, continued to change hands between the proxies of Córdoba and the proxies of the Fatimids for many decades. Following another successful invasion by
Buluggin ibn Ziri Buluggin ibn Ziri, often transliterated Bologhine, in full ʾAbū al Futūḥ Sayf ad Dawlah Bulukīn ibn Zīrī ibn Manād aṣ Ṣanhājī (; died 25 May 984) was the first leader () of the Sanhaja Berber dynasty of Zirids to serve as viceroy of ...
in 979 and a brief period of Fatimid control, the forces of
Al-Mansur Abū Jaʿfar ʿAbd Allāh ibn Muḥammad al-Manṣūr (; ‎; 714 – 6 October 775) usually known simply as by his laqab al-Manṣūr () was the second Abbasid caliph, reigning from 754 to 775 succeeding his brother al-Saffah (). He is known ...
of Cordoba managed to retake the region again, expelling the Fatimids permanently. From 980 (or from 986), Fez was ruled by a Zenata dynasty from the Maghrawa tribe, who were allies of the Caliphate of Córdoba. They maintained this control even after the Caliphate's collapse in the early 11th century and until the arrival of the Almoravids. Fez continued to grow under Zenata control, even though conflicts between its two settlements, ''Madinat Fas'' and ''al-ʿĀliyá'', flared up during periods of political rivalry.
Ziri ibn Atiyya Ziri ibn Atiyya (died 1001, Achir) was a leader of the Berber Maghrawa tribal confederacy and kingdom in Fez. Biography Under the protection of the Umayyad Caliph in al-Andalus, Hisham II, and his powerful regent al-Mansur, Ziri became king ...
, the first ruler of the new dynasty, had a troubled reign. However, Ibn Atiyya's descendant Dunas ibn Hamama, ruling between 1037 and 1049, was responsible for improving the city's infrastructure. He developed much of Fez's
water supply system A water supply network or water supply system is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components that provide water supply. A water supply system typically includes the following: # A drainage basin (see water purification – sourc ...
, which has largely survived up to the present day. Other structures built in his time included
hammams A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...
(bathhouses), mosques, and the first bridges over the Oued Bou Khrareb (mostly rebuilt in later eras). The two cities became increasingly integrated: the open space between the two was filled up by new houses and up to six bridges across the river allowed for easier passage between them. A decade after Dunas, between 1059 and 1061, the two cities were ruled separately by two brothers who were rival Zenata
emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...
s that fought with each other: ''al-ʿĀliyá'' was controlled by an emir named Al-Gisa and ''Madinat Fas'' was controlled by Al-Fetouh. Both brothers fortified their respective shores, and their names have been preserved in two of the city's gates to this day: Bab Guissa (or Bab Gisa) in the north and
Bab Ftouh Bab Ftouh (also spelled Bab Fetouh) is the main southeastern Gates of Fez, gate of Fes el Bali, Fes el-Bali, the old Fortifications of Fez, walled city of Fez, Morocco, Fes, Morocco. History The name ''Bab (al-)Ftouh'' means literally "Gate ...
in the south.


Almoravids, Almohads and Marinids

In 1069–1070 (or possibly a few years later), Fez was conquered by the
Almoravids The Almoravid dynasty () was a Berber Muslim dynasty centered in the territory of present-day Morocco. It established an empire that stretched over the western Maghreb and Al-Andalus, starting in the 1050s and lasting until its fall to the Almo ...
under
Yusuf ibn Tashfin Yusuf ibn Tashfin, also Tashafin, Teshufin, (; reigned c. 1061 – 1106) was a Sanhaja leader of the Almoravid Empire. He cofounded the city of Marrakesh and led the Muslim forces in the Battle of Sagrajas. Yusuf ibn Tashfin came to al-And ...
. In the same year of this conquest, Yusuf ibn Tashfin unified ''Madinat Fas'' and ''al-ʿĀliyá'' into one city. The walls dividing them were destroyed, bridges connecting them were built or renovated, and a new circuit of
walls Walls may refer to: *The plural of wall, a structure * Walls (surname), a list of notable people with the surname Places * Walls, Louisiana, United States * Walls, Mississippi, United States *Walls, Ontario Perry is a township (Canada), ...
was constructed that encompassed both cities. A ''
kasbah A kasbah (, also ; , , Maghrebi Arabic: ), also spelled qasbah, qasba, qasaba, or casbah, is a fortress, most commonly the citadel or fortified quarter of a city. It is also equivalent to the term in Spanish (), which is derived from the same ...
'' (Arabic term for "
citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...
") was built at the western edge of the city (just west of
Bab Bou Jeloud Bab Bou Jeloud (also spelled Bab Boujeloud or Bab Boujloud) is an ornate city gate in Fes el Bali, the old city of Fez, Morocco. The current gate was built by the French colonial administration in 1913 to serve as the grand entrance to the old ...
today) to house the city's governor and garrison. Although the capital was moved to Marrakesh under the Almoravids, Fez acquired a reputation for
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
legal scholarship and remained an important centre of trade and industry. Almoravid impact on the city's structure was such that Yusuf ibn Tashfin is sometimes considered to be the second founder of Fez. In 1145 the
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
leader
Abd al-Mu'min Abd al-Mu'min (c. 1094–1163) (; full name: ʿAbd al-Muʾmin ibn ʿAlī ibn ʿAlwī ibn Yaʿlā al-Kūmī Abū Muḥammad) was a prominent member of the Almohad movement. Although the Almohad movement itself was founded by Ibn Tumart, Abd al-Mu' ...
besieged and conquered the city during the Almohad overthrow of the Almoravids. Due to the ferocious resistance they encountered from the local population, the Almohads demolished the city's fortifications. However, due to Fez's continuing economic and military importance, the Almohad
caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
Ya'qub al-Mansur ordered the reconstruction of the ramparts. The walls were completed by his successor
Muhammad al-Nasir Muhammad al-Nasir (,'' Muḥammad an-Nāṣir'', – 1213) was the fourth Almohad Caliph from 1199 until his death. Évariste Lévi-Provençalal-Nāṣir Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Brill Online, 2013. Reference. 9 January 2013. Co ...
in 1204, giving them their definitive shape and establishing the perimeter of Fes el-Bali to this day. The Almohads built the Kasbah Bou Jeloud on the site of the former Almoravid kasbah and also built the first kasbah occupying the site of the current
Kasbah an-Nouar The Kasbah An-Nouar or Kasbah Filali is a walled district and former military enclosure in the old medina of Fez, Morocco. Its name means "citadel of the flowers", but it is sometimes also referred to as Kasbah Filala and Kasbah Chorfa. It is one o ...
. Not all the land within the city walls was densely inhabited; much of it was still relatively open and was occupied by crops and gardens used by the inhabitants. During the 12th century, the city was one of the largest in the world, with an estimated population of 200,000. By 1200, Fez and Cairo had probably become the largest Muslim cities. In 1250, Fez regained its status as the capital under the
Marinid dynasty The Marinid dynasty ( ) was a Berbers, Berber Muslim dynasty that controlled present-day Morocco from the mid-13th to the 15th century and intermittently controlled other parts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and of the southern Iberian P ...
. The city reached its golden age in the Marinid period. In 1276, an anti-Marinid revolt resulted in a massacre of the Jewish community that was stopped by the intervention of the ruler Abu Yusuf Ya'qub. Following the revolt, Abu Yusuf Yaqub founded
Fes Jdid Fes Jdid or Fes el-Jdid () is one of the three parts of Fez, the second largest city of Morocco. It was founded by the Marinids in 1276 as an extension of Fes el Bali (the old city or ''medina'') and as a royal citadel and capital. It is occup ...
as the new administrative and military centre. Under the Marinids, many of the principal monuments in the medina were built and the city established its reputation as an important intellectual centre. Between 1271 and 1357 seven
madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
s were built, which are among the best examples of Moroccan architecture and some of the most richly decorated monuments in Fez. The
Jewish quarter Jewish Quarter may refer to: *Jewish quarter (diaspora), areas of many cities and towns traditionally inhabited by Jews *Jewish Quarter (Jerusalem), one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem *Jewish Quarter (), a popular name ...
of Fez, the ''
Mellah A ''mellah'' ( or 'saline area'; and ) is the place of residence historically assigned to Jewish communities in Morocco. The urban ''mellah'', as it exists in numerous cities and large towns, is a Jewish quarter enclosed by a wall and a fortifi ...
'', was created in Fes Jdid at some point during the Marinid period. The exact date and circumstances of its formation are not firmly established, but many scholars date the transfer of the Jewish population from Fes el-Bali to the new Mellah to the 15th century, a period of political tension and instability. In particular, Jewish sources describe the transfer as a consequence of the rediscovery of Idris II's body in the heart of the city in 1437, which caused the surrounding area—if not the entire city—to acquire a holy (''haram'') status, requiring that non-Muslims be removed from the area. The Moroccan Jewish community had initially consisted of indigenous local Jews (known as the ''
Toshavim ''Toshavim'' (, "residents") or ''bildiyīn'' () is a generic reference to non-Sephardic Jews who inhabited lands in which the Jews expelled from Spain in 15th century settled (" Megorashim", "expellees").Western Sephardic Jews fleeing from the
Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...
(known as the '' Megorashim'') in subsequent generations, especially after the 1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain and 1496 expulsion of Jews from Portugal. The 1465 Moroccan revolt overthrew the last Marinid
sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
. In 1472 the
Wattasids The Wattasid dynasty (, ''al-waṭṭāsīyūn'') was a ruling dynasty of Morocco. Like the Marinid dynasty, its rulers were of Zenata Berber descent. The two families were related, and the Marinids recruited many viziers from the Wattasids. Th ...
, another Zenata dynasty which had previously served as
vizier A vizier (; ; ) is a high-ranking political advisor or Minister (government), minister in the Near East. The Abbasids, Abbasid caliphs gave the title ''wazir'' to a minister formerly called ''katib'' (secretary), who was at first merely a help ...
s under the Marinid sultans, succeeded as rulers of Morocco from Fez. They perpetuated the structure of the Marinid state and continued its policies, but were unable to control all of Morocco. They did not contribute significantly to the physical fabric of Fez.


Saadis and 'Alawis

In the 16th century the
Saadis The Saadi Sultanate (), also known as the Sharifian Sultanate (), was a state which ruled present-day Morocco and parts of Northwest Africa in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was led by the Saadi dynasty, an Arab Sharifian dynasty. The dynas ...
, a dynasty claiming prophetic heritage, rose to power in southern Morocco and challenged the Wattasids. Around the same time, the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
came close to Fez after its conquest of
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
. In January 1549, the Saadi sultan
Mohammed ash-Sheikh ''Mawlay'' Mohammed al-Shaykh al-Sharif al-Hassani (), known as Mohammed al-Shaykh () (b. 1490 – d. 23 October 1557), was the first sultan of the Saadian dynasty of Morocco (1544–1557). He was particularly successful in expelling the Portugue ...
took Fez and ousted the last Wattasid sultan Ali Abu Hassun. The Wattasids later retook the city in 1554 with Ottoman support, but this reconquest was short-lived and later that same year the Wattasids were decisively defeated by the Saadis. The Ottomans attempted to invade Morocco after the assassination of Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1558, but were stopped by his son
Abdallah al-Ghalib Abdallah al-Ghalib Billah (; b. 1517 – d. 22 January 1574, 1557–1574) was the second Saadian sultan of Morocco. He succeeded his father Mohammed al-Shaykh as Sultan of Morocco. Biography Early life With his first wife Sayyida Rabia, ...
at the Battle of Wadi al-Laban north of Fez. After the death of Abdallah al-Ghalib a new power struggle emerged.
Abd al-Malik Abdul Malik () is an Arabic (Muslim or Christian) male given name and, in modern usage, surname. It is built from the Arabic words '' Abd'', ''al-'' and ''Malik''. The name means "servant of the King", in the Christian instance 'King' meaning 'King ...
, Abdallah's brother, captured Fez with Ottoman support and ousted his nephew Abu Abdullah from the throne. This led to the Battle of Wadi al-Makhazin (also known as Battle of the Three Kings) in which Abd al-Malik's army defeated an invading Portuguese army, ensuring Moroccan independence. Abd al-Malik was killed during the battle and was succeeded by
Ahmad al-Mansur Ahmad al-Mansur (; 1549 – 25 August 1603), also known by the nickname al-Dhahabī () was the Saadi Sultanate, Saadi Sultan of Morocco from 1578 to his death in 1603, the sixth and most famous of all rulers of the Saadis. Ahmad al-Mansur was an ...
(r. 1578–1603). The Saadis, who used Marrakesh again as their capital, did not lavish much attention on Fez, with the exception of the ornate ablutions pavilions added to the Qarawiyyin Mosque's courtyard during their time. Perhaps as a result of persistent tensions with the city's inhabitants, the Saadis built a number of new forts and
bastion A bastion is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fire from the ...
s around the city which appear to have been aimed at keeping control over the local population. After the long reign of Ahmad al-Mansur, the Saadi state fell into civil war between his sons and potential successors. Fez became a rival seat of power for a number of brothers vying against other family members ruling from Marrakesh. Both cities changed hands multiple times until the internecine conflict finally ended in 1627. Despite the reunification of the realm after 1627, the Saadis were in full decline and Fez had already suffered considerably from the repeated conquests and reconquests during the conflict. In 1641, Muhammad al-Haj of the
Sanhaja The Sanhaja (, or زناگة ''Znāga''; , pl. Iẓnagen, and also Aẓnaj, pl. Iẓnajen) were once one of the largest Berbers, Berber tribal confederations, along with the Zenata, Zanata and Masmuda confederations. Many tribes in Algeria, Libya ...
Dilā' Sufi order occupied Fez. The time was particularly difficult for Fessi Jews. It was only when the founder of the
'Alawi dynasty The Alawi dynasty () – also rendered in English as Alaouite, Alawid, or Alawite – is the current Moroccan royal family and reigning dynasty. They are an Arab Sharifian dynasty and claim descent from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his ...
, Moulay Rashid, took Fez in 1666 that the city saw a revival and became the capital again, albeit briefly. Moulay Rashid set about restoring the city after a long period of neglect. He built the
Kasbah Cherarda Kasbah Cherarda () is a kasbah in the city of Fez, Morocco, located on the northern outskirts of Fes Jdid, Fes el-Jdid. It was initially referred to as Kasbah el-Khemis () as there was an open market held every Thursday outside the wall.
(also known as the Kasbah al-Khemis) to the north of Fes Jdid in order to house a large part of his tribal troops. He also restored or rebuilt what became known as the Kasbah an-Nouar, which became the living quarters of his followers from the
Tafilalt Tafilalt or Tafilet (), historically Sijilmasa, is a region of Morocco, centered on its largest oasis. Etymology There are many speculations regarding the origin of the word "Tafilalt", however it is known that Tafilalt is a Berber word meaning ...
region (the 'Alawi dynasty's ancestral home). Moulay Rashid also built a large new madrasa, the Cherratine Madrasa, in 1670. After Rashid's death, Fez underwent another dark period. Moulay Isma'il, his successor, apparently disliked the city—possibly due to a rebellion there in his early reign—and chose nearby
Meknès Meknes (, ) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became the capita ...
as his capital instead. Although he did restore or rebuild some major monuments in the city, such as the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II, he also frequently imposed heavy taxes on the city's inhabitants and sometimes even forcibly transferred parts of its population to repopulate other cities in the country. After his death, Morocco was plunged into anarchy and decades of conflict between his sons who vied to succeed him. Fez suffered particularly from repeated conflicts with the Udayas (or Oudayas), a ''
guich ''Guich'' tribes, ''Gish'' tribes, or ''Jaysh'' tribes ( or ), or sometimes ''Makhzen'' tribes, were tribes of usually Arab origin organized by the sultans of Moroccan dynasties under the pre-colonial Makhzen regime to serve as troops and milita ...
'' tribe (vassal tribe serving as a garrison and military force) previously installed in the Kasbah Cherarda by Moulay Isma'il. Sultan Moulay Abdallah, who reigned intermittently during this period and used Fez as a capital, was initially welcomed in 1728–29 as an enemy of the Udayas, but relations between him and the city's population quickly soured due to his choice of governor. He immediately built a separate fortified palace in the countryside, Dar Dbibegh, where he resided instead. For nearly three more decades the city remained in more or less perpetual conflict with both the Udayas and the 'Alawi sultans. Starting with the reign of Moulay Muhammad ibn Abdallah, between 1757 and 1790, the country stabilized and Fez finally regained its fortunes. Although its status was partly shared with Marrakesh, it remained the capital of Morocco for the rest of the 'Alawi period up to the 20th century. The 'Alawis continued to rebuild or restore various monuments and undertook a series of extensions to the Royal Palace. The sultans and their entourages also became more and more closely associated with the elites of Fez and other urban centers, with the ''
ulama In Islam, the ''ulama'' ( ; also spelled ''ulema''; ; singular ; feminine singular , plural ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama ...
'' (religious scholars) of Fez being particularly influential. After Moulay Slimane's death, powerful families from Fez became the main players of the country's political and intellectual scene. The
Tijani The Tijjani order () is a Sufi order of Sunni Islam named after Ahmad al-Tijani. It originated in Algeria but now more widespread in Maghreb, West Africa, particularly in Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Niger, Chad, Ghana, Northe ...
Sufi order, started by
Ahmad al-Tijani Abū al-ʻAbbās Ahmad ibn Muhammad at-Tijāniyy or Ahmed Tijani (, 1735–1815), was an Algerian people, Algerian Sharif who founded the Tijaniyyah tariqa (Sufi order). Life Tijani was born in 1735 in Aïn Madhi, the son of Muhammad al-Mukhta ...
(d. 1815), has had its spiritual center in Fez since al-Tijani moved here from Algeria in 1789. The order spread quickly among the literary elite of North West Africa and its ''ulama'' had significant religious, intellectual, and political influence in Fez and beyond. Until the 19th century the city was the only source of fezzes (also known as the ''tarboosh''). The last major change to Fez's topography before the 20th century was made during the reign of Moulay Hassan I (1873–1894), who finally connected Fes Jdid and Fes el-Bali by building a walled corridor between them. New gardens and summer palaces, used by the royals and the capital's high society, were built within the corridor, such as the Jnan Sbil Gardens and the Dar Batha palace. Moulay Hassan also expanded the old Royal Palace itself, extending its entrance up to the current location of the Old Mechouar while adding the New Mechouar, along with the Dar al-Makina, to the north. The expansion separated the Moulay Abdallah neighbourhood to the northwest from the rest of Fes Jdid. Fez played a central role in the Hafidhiya, the brief civil war that erupted when Abdelhafid challenged his brother Abdelaziz for the throne. The ''ulama'' of Fez, led by the
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
modernist Muhammad Bin Abdul-Kabir Al-Kattani, offered their conditioned support to Abd al-Hafid, which turned the tide of the conflict. Abdelaziz was defeated in the Battle of Marrakesh in 1908. Abdelhafid's reign soon deteriorated and in early 1911 the sultan was besieged in Fez by the tribes of the Middle Atlas. Abdelhafid appealed for French help and a French force under Colonel arrived in Fez on 21 May and established a command centre at Dar Dbibegh.


Colonial period

In 1912,
French colonial rule The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates, and mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "First French colonial empire", that ex ...
was instituted over Morocco following the Treaty of Fes. One immediate consequence was the 1912 riots in Fez, a popular uprising which included deadly attacks targeting Europeans as well as native Jewish inhabitants in the
Mellah A ''mellah'' ( or 'saline area'; and ) is the place of residence historically assigned to Jewish communities in Morocco. The urban ''mellah'', as it exists in numerous cities and large towns, is a Jewish quarter enclosed by a wall and a fortifi ...
, followed by an even deadlier repression. The first French resident general,
Hubert Lyautey Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey (17 November 1854 – 27 July 1934) was a French Army general and colonial administrator. After serving in Indochina and Madagascar, he became the first French Resident-General in Morocco from 1912 to 1925. In earl ...
, decided to move the administrative capital of the Protectorate to
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...
in 1912–1913, which has remained the capital ever since. A number of social and physical changes took place during this period and across the 20th century. Starting under Lyautey, one important policy with long-term consequences was the decision to largely forego redevelopment of existing historic walled cities in Morocco and to intentionally preserve them as sites of historic heritage, still known today as " medinas". Instead, the French administration built new modern cities (the '' Villes Nouvelles'') just outside the old cities, where European settlers largely resided with modern Western-style amenities. This was part of a larger "policy of association" adopted by Lyautey which favoured various forms of indirect colonial rule by preserving local institutions and elites, in contrast with other French colonial policies that had favoured "assimilation". The also became known as '' Dar Dbibegh'' by Moroccans, as the former palace of Moulay Abdallah was located in the same area.The creation of the separate French to the west had a wider impact on the entire city's development. While new colonial policies preserved historic monuments, they stalled urban development in heritage areas. Scholar
Janet Abu-Lughod Janet Lippman Abu-Lughod (August 3, 1928 – December 14, 2013) was an American sociologist who made major contributions to world-systems theory and urban sociology. Early life Raised in Newark, New Jersey, United States, she attended Weequa ...
has argued that these policies created a kind of urban "apartheid" between the indigenous Moroccan urban areas, who were forced to remain stagnant in terms of urban development and architectural innovation, and the new, mainly European-inhabited planned cities, which expanded to occupy lands formerly used by Moroccans outside the city. This separation was partly softened, however, by wealthy Moroccans who started moving into the during this period. By contrast, the old city (medina) of Fez was increasingly settled by poorer rural migrants from the countryside. Fez also played a role in the Moroccan nationalist movement and in protests against the French colonial regime. Many Moroccan nationalists received their education at the Al-Qarawiyyin University and some of their informal political networks were established thanks to this shared educational background. In July 1930, the students and other inhabitants protested against the
Berber Dahir The Berber Dahir (, , formally: ) is a ''dhahir'' (decree) that was created by the French protectorate in Morocco on May 16, 193The document changed the legal system in the parts of Morocco in which Berber languages were primarily spoken, and the ...
, decreed by the French authorities in May of that year. In 1937, the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and
R'cif Mosque The R'cif Mosque (; also transliterated as ''R'sif'', ''Ercif'', ''er-Rsif'', or ''Rasif'') is a Friday mosque in Fes el-Bali, the old city (medina) of Fez, Morocco. It has one of the tallest minarets in the city and overlooks Place R'cif in th ...
were rallying points for demonstrations against a violent crackdown on Moroccan protesters in the nearby city of
Meknes Meknes (, ) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravid dynasty, Almoravids as a military settlement, Mekne ...
, which ended with French troops being deployed across Fes el-Bali, including at the mosques themselves. Towards the end of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Moroccan nationalists gathered in Fez to draft a demand for independence which they submitted to the
Allies An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not an explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are calle ...
on 11 January 1944. This resulted in the arrest of nationalist leaders followed by the violent suppression of protests across many cities, including Fez.


Post-independence era

After Morocco regained its independence in 1956, many of the trends begun under colonial rule continued and accelerated. Much of Fez's
bourgeois The bourgeoisie ( , ) are a class of business owners, merchants and wealthy people, in general, which emerged in the Late Middle Ages, originally as a "middle class" between the peasantry and Aristocracy (class), aristocracy. They are tradition ...
classes moved to the growing metropolises of
Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...
and the capital, Rabat. The Jewish population was particularly depleted, either moving to
Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...
or emigrating to countries like France,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, and
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
. Although the population of the city grew, it did so only slowly up until the late 1960s, when the pace of growth finally accelerated. Throughout this period Fez nonetheless remained the country's third largest urban center. Between 1971 and 2000, the population of the city roughly tripled from 325,000 to 940,000, making it the second largest city in Morocco. The became the locus of further development, with new peripheral neighbourhoods–with inconsistent housing quality–spreading outwards around it. In 1963 the University of Al-Qarawiyyin was reorganized as a
state university A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
,Lulat, Y. G.-M.: '' A History Of African Higher Education From Antiquity To The Present: A Critical Synthesis'', Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005, , pp. 154–157 while a new public university,
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (; ) is a university in Fez city, Morocco, which was founded in 1975. It is named for Mohammed ben Abdallah. In 2022, the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' rated Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah ...
, was founded in 1975 in the . In 1981, the old city, consisting of Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Social inequalities and economic precarity were accentuated during the repressive reign of
King Hassan II Hassan II (; 9 July 1929 – 23 July 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999. A member of the Alawi dynasty, he was the eldest son of King Mohammed V of Morocco, Mohammed V, and his second wife Princess Lalla Abla ...
and the period known as the Years of Lead (roughly 1975–1990). Fez was strongly affected by unemployment and lack of housing. Austerity measures led to several riots and uprisings across other cities during the 1980s. On 14 December 1990, a general strike was called and led to protests and rioting by university students and youths in Fez. Buildings were burned and looted, including the , a luxury hotel overlooking Fes el-Bali and dating to the time of Lyautey. Thousands were arrested and at least five were killed. The government promised to investigate and raise wages, though some of these measures were dismissed by the opposition. Today Fez remains a regional capital and one of Morocco's most important cities. Many of the former notable families of Fez still make up a large part of the country's political elite. It is also a major tourism destination due to its historical heritage. In recent years efforts have been underway to restore and rehabilitate the old medina, ranging from the restoration of individual monuments to attempts to rehabilitate the Fez River.


Geography


Location

The city is divided between its historic
medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
(the two walled districts of Fes el-Bali and
Fes Jdid Fes Jdid or Fes el-Jdid () is one of the three parts of Fez, the second largest city of Morocco. It was founded by the Marinids in 1276 as an extension of Fes el Bali (the old city or ''medina'') and as a royal citadel and capital. It is occup ...
) and the now much larger '' Ville Nouvelle'' (New City) along with several outlying modern neighbourhoods. The old city is located in a valley along the banks of the '' Oued Fes'' (Fez River) just above its confluence with the larger
Sebou River The Sebou (Berber: Asif en Sbu, ) is a river in northern Morocco. At its source in the Middle Atlas mountains it is known as the Guigou River (Berber: Asif n Gigu). The river is 496 kilometers long and has an average water flow of 137 m3/s, wh ...
to the northeast. The Fez River takes its sources from the south and west and is split into various small canals which provide the historic city with water. These in turn empty into the Oued Bou Khrareb, the stretch of the river which passes through the middle of Fes el-Bali and separates the Qarawiyyin quarter from the Andalusian quarter. The new city occupies a plateau on the edge of the Saïs
plain In geography, a plain, commonly known as flatland, is a flat expanse of land that generally does not change much in elevation, and is primarily treeless. Plains occur as lowlands along valleys or at the base of mountains, as coastal plains, and ...
. The latter stretches out to the west and south and is occupied largely by farmland. Roughly 15 km south of Fes el-Bali is the region's main airport, Fes-Saïs. Further south is the town of
Sefrou Sefrou () is a city in central Morocco situated in the Fès-Meknès region. It recorded a population of 79,887 in the 2014 Moroccan census, up from 63,872 in the 2004 census. Sefrou is known for its historical Jewish population, and its annual che ...
, while the city of
Meknes Meknes (, ) is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravid dynasty, Almoravids as a military settlement, Mekne ...
, the next largest city in the region, is located to the southwest.


Climate

Northwest of the
Middle Atlas The Middle Atlas (Amazigh: ⴰⵟⵍⴰⵚ ⴰⵏⴰⵎⵎⴰⵙ, ''Atlas Anammas'', Arabic: الأطلس المتوسط, ''al-Aṭlas al-Mutawassiṭ'') is a mountain range in Morocco. It is part of the Atlas mountain range, a mountainous regio ...
mountains, Fez has a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''Csa'') with a strong continental influence, shifting from relatively cool and wet in the winter to dry and hot days in the summer months between June and September. Rainfall can reach up to in good years. The winter highs typically reach around and winter lows average about in December–January. Frost is not uncommon during the winter period. The summer highs peak in July and August at approximately with average lows of . The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in the city are and , respectively. Snowfall on average occurs once every 3 to 5 years. Fez recorded snowfall in three straight years in 2005, 2006 and 2007.


Demographics

According to the 2024 national census, the population of the city of Fez was 1,256,172, which includes the municipalities of Fez proper and Méchouar Fès Jdid (New Fès). Most of the population was Moroccan, but it also included 3,832 resident foreigners. In the 2014 census, the foreigner population of Fez made up 4.2 percent of the total foreigner population of Morocco. The predominant religion in Fez is
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
. In the past the city had a large
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
population, but as of 2001, less than 200 Jewish people remain.


Language

The main spoken language in Fez is Arabic
Darija Maghrebi Arabic, often known as ''ad-Dārija'' to differentiate it from Literary Arabic, is a vernacular Arabic dialect continuum spoken in the Maghreb. It includes the Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Libyan, Hassaniya and Saharan Arabic di ...
(), a
vernacular Vernacular is the ordinary, informal, spoken language, spoken form of language, particularly when perceptual dialectology, perceived as having lower social status or less Prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige than standard language, which is mor ...
variety of Arabic. Like the inhabitants of other historical urban centers in Morocco, ''Ahl Fes'' ( "the people of Fes," referring especially to old elite families) speak their own distinct dialect of Darija. This ''Fessi'' dialect has traditionally been regarded as a
prestige dialect Prestige in sociolinguistics is the level of regard normally accorded a specific language or dialect within a speech community, relative to other languages or dialects. Prestige varieties are language or dialect families which are generally c ...
over other forms of Moroccan Darija—particularly those seen as rural or '''arūbi'' ( "of the rural Arabs")—due to its "association with the socio-economic power and dominance that its speakers enjoy at the national level," in the words of
linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...
Mohammed Errihani. The ''Fessi'' dialect has traditionally had distinctive linguistic features. On the
phonological Phonology (formerly also phonemics or phonematics: "phonemics ''n.'' 'obsolescent''1. Any procedure for identifying the phonemes of a language from a corpus of data. 2. (formerly also phonematics) A former synonym for phonology, often prefer ...
level, these include the stereotypical use of a
postalveolar approximant The voiced alveolar and postalveolar approximants are types of consonantal sounds used in some spoken languages. The symbol in the International Phonetic Alphabet that represents the alveolar and postalveolar approximants is , a lowercase lette ...
(like the American pronunciation of /ɹ/ in the word "red") in the place of a trilled for / ر/, or a
pharyngealized Pharyngealization is a secondary articulation of consonants or vowels by which the pharynx or epiglottis is constricted during the articulation of the sound. IPA symbols In the International Phonetic Alphabet, pharyngealization can be indicate ...
glottal stop The glottal stop or glottal plosive is a type of consonantal sound used in many Speech communication, spoken languages, produced by obstructing airflow in the vocal tract or, more precisely, the glottis. The symbol in the International Phonetic ...
or
voiceless uvular plosive The voiceless uvular plosive or stop is a type of consonantal sound, used in some spoken languages. It is pronounced like a voiceless velar plosive , except that the tongue makes contact not on the soft palate but on the uvula. The symbol in the ...
in the place of a
voiced velar plosive The voiced velar plosive or stop is a type of consonantal sound used in many Speech communication, spoken languages. Some languages have the voiced pre-velar plosive, which is articulated slightly more front compared with the place of articulat ...
( g">g_(IPA).html" ;"title="nowiki/>g (IPA)">g for /Qoph">ق/. On the morphosyntactic">g (IPA)">g">g_(IPA).html" ;"title="nowiki/>g (IPA)">g for /Qoph">ق/. On the morphosyntactic level, gender distinction in pronouns and verb inflections is neutralized in the second Grammatical person, person singular. Many of these features were shared with the other "pre-Banu Hilal, Hilalian" dialects in the region. However, due to social and demographic changes that started in the 20th century such as mass rural migration into the city and the departure of most of the city's old urban elites to Casablanca, these old linguistic features are no longer dominant in the speech of Arabic speakers in Fez today. Prior to the departure of most Jewish residents in the second half of the 20th century, the Jewish community in Fez also spoke an Arabic dialect similar to the rest of the city.
Modern Standard Arabic Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) or Modern Written Arabic (MWA) is the variety of Standard language, standardized, Literary language, literary Arabic that developed in the Arab world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and in some usages al ...
and
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
(Tamazight) are Morocco's two official state languages, although
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
is also widespread as a language of government and law. The primary language of the literary traditions of Fes is Arabic. While the daily spoken language is Darija (the Moroccan Arabic dialect), many people also speak French fluently. English is increasingly being learned by younger generations. Berber dialects are commonly spoken in the countryside around the city.


Economy

Historically, the city was one of Morocco's main centers of trade and craftsmanship. The tanning industry, for example, still embodied by
tanneries Tanning may refer to: *Tanning (leather), treating animal skins to produce leather *Sun tanning, using the sun to darken pale skin **Indoor tanning, the use of artificial light in place of the sun **Sunless tanning, application of a stain or dye t ...
of Fes el-Bali today, was a major source of
export An export in international trade is a good produced in one country that is sold into another country or a service provided in one country for a national or resident of another country. The seller of such goods or the service provider is a ...
s and economic sustenance since the city's early history. Up until the late 19th century, the city was the only place in the world which fabricated the
fez hat Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Arts and media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by ...
. The city's commerce was concentrated along its major streets, like Tala'a Kebira, and around the central
bazaar A bazaar or souk is a marketplace consisting of multiple small Market stall, stalls or shops, especially in the Middle East, the Balkans, Central Asia, North Africa and South Asia. They are traditionally located in vaulted or covered streets th ...
known as the Kissariat al-Kifah from which many other ''souq''s (markets) branched off. The crafts industry continues to this day and is still focused in the old city, though largely reliant on tourism. Today, the city's surrounding countryside, the fertile Saïss plains, is an important source of agricultural activity producing primarily
cereal A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize ( Corn). Edible grains from other plant families, ...
s,
bean A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are traditi ...
s,
olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
s, and
grape A grape is a fruit, botanically a berry, of the deciduous woody vines of the flowering plant genus ''Vitis''. Grapes are a non- climacteric type of fruit, generally occurring in clusters. The cultivation of grapes began approximately 8,0 ...
s, as well as raising
livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...
. Tourism is also a major industry due to the city's UNESCO-listed historic
medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
. Religious tourism is also present due to the old city's many major zawiyas (Islamic shrines), such as the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, which attract both Moroccan and international (especially
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
n) pilgrims. The city and the region still struggle with unemployment and economic precarity.


Government

Two
municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
(Arabic: , French: ) in the (Arabic: ) make up the city of Fez. Most of Fez is administered as the municipality of Fez, while the neighborhood of Fes Jdid is administered separately as the municipality of Méchouar Fès Jdid. Outside of the city, there are also three rural municipalities in the prefecture, Aïn Bida, Oulad Tayeb, and Sidi Harazem. The municipality of Fez has an area of and recorded a population of 1,091,512 in the 2014 Moroccan census. It is divided into six ''arrondissements'' (): The municipality of Fez is governed by a 91-member council, elected by direct universal suffrage every six years. The ''arrondissements'' of Zouagha and Marininyine elect 17 councillors each; Jnan El Ouard and Saiss elect 16 councillors each; Agdal elects 13, and Fès-Médina elects 12. Executive power is wielded by a president and ten vice-presidents, which are elected by the council. In 2021, Abdeslam Bekkali, a member of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), succeeded Driss Azami El Idrissi as the new president of the municipality of Fez. The municipality of Méchouar Fès Jdid consists of the neighborhood of Fes Jdid in the old city and forms an enclave within the municipality of Fez. Established in 1992, it is only in extent, and recorded a population of 20,560 in the 2014 census. The municipality possesses a special administrative status as the location of a royal palace (the '' Dar al-Makhzen'' or '' méchouar''), one of four such municipalities (French: ''communes des méchouars'') in Morocco. The other three are located in Casablanca, Marrakesh, and Rabat. These four municipalities are governed by special provisions that do not apply to ordinary municipalities. The subdivisions of Fez Prefecture are grouped into two
electoral district An electoral (congressional, legislative, etc.) district, sometimes called a constituency, riding, or ward, is a geographical portion of a political unit, such as a country, state or province, city, or administrative region, created to provi ...
s, North Fez and South Fez, each of which elects four members to the
House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
. North Fez consists of the ''arrondissements'' of El Mariniyine, Fès-Médina, and Zouagha and the municipality of Méchouar Fès Jdid. South Fez consists of the other three ''arrondissements'' of Agdal, Jnan El Ouard, and Saiss, and the three rural municipalities outside the city of Fez.


Landmarks


Medina of Fez

The historic city of Fez consists of Fes el-Bali, the original city on both shores of the Oued Fes (River of Fez), and the smaller Fez Jdid, founded on higher ground to the west in the 13th century. It is distinct from Fez's now much larger ''Ville Nouvelle'' (new city). Fes el-Bali is the oldest continuously inhabited
walled city The following cities have, or historically had, defensive walls. Africa Algeria * Algiers * Ghardaïa * Timimoun Egypt See List of Egypt castles, forts, fortifications and city walls. * Al-Fustat * Cairo * Damietta Ethiopia * Harar Libya *Apo ...
in the Arab world, and one of the largest and oldest urban
pedestrian zone Pedestrian zones (also known as auto-free zones and car-free zones, as pedestrian precincts in British English, and as pedestrian malls in the United States and Australia) are areas of a city or town restricted to use by people on foot or ...
s (car-free areas) in the whole world. It is the site of the famous Qarawiyyin University and the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II, the most important religious and cultural sites, while Fez el-Jdid is the site of the 195 acre Royal Palace, still used by the
King of Morocco The king of Morocco (; ) is the monarch and head of state of Morocco. The kings of Morocco are members of the Alawi dynasty. It is one of the country's most powerful offices. Mohammed VI ( Sidi Mohammed bin Hassan al-Alawi) is the current kin ...
today. These two historic cities are linked together and are usually referred to together as the "medina" of Fez, though this term is sometimes applied more restrictively to Fes el-Bali only. Fez is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination and many non-Moroccans are now restoring traditional houses ( riads and dars) as second homes in the medina. In 1981, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
) designated ''Medina of Fez'' a
World Heritage site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
, describing it as "one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world." It was the first site in Morocco to be granted this status.


Places of worship

There are numerous historic
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s in the medina, some of which are part of a madrasa or zawiya. Among the oldest still standing today are the Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 857 and subsequently expanded, the
Mosque of the Andalusians The Mosque of the Andalusians or Al-Andalusiyyin Mosque (), sometimes also called the Andalusian Mosque, is a major historic mosque in Fes el Bali, the old medina quarter of Fez, Morocco, Fez, Morocco. The mosque was founded in 859–860, making ...
founded in 859–860, the Bou Jeloud Mosque from the late 12th century, and possibly the Mosque of the Kasbah en-Nouar (which may have existed in the
Almohad The Almohad Caliphate (; or or from ) or Almohad Empire was a North African Berber Muslim empire founded in the 12th century. At its height, it controlled much of the Iberian Peninsula (Al-Andalus) and North Africa (the Maghreb). The Almohad ...
period but was likely rebuilt much later). The very oldest mosques of the city, dating back to its first years, were the Mosque of the Sharifs (or Shurafa Mosque) and the Mosque of the Sheikhs (or al-Anouar Mosque); however, they no longer exist in their original form. The Mosque of the Sharifs was the burial site of
Idris II Idrīs ibn Idrīs () known as Idris II () and Idrīs al-Azhar/al-Aṣghar () (August 791 – August 828), was the son of Idris I of Morocco, Idris I, the founder of the Idrisid dynasty in Morocco. He was born in Volubilis, Walīlī two months aft ...
and evolved into the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II that exists today, while the al-Anouar Mosque has left only minor remnants. A number of mosques from the important Marinid era, when Fes Jdid was created to be the capital of Morocco, include the Great Mosque of Fez el-Jdid from 1276, the Abu al-Hasan Mosque from 1341, the Chrabliyine Mosque from 1342,Fez
''Archnet''. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
and the al-Hamra Mosque from around the same period. The Bab Guissa Mosque was also founded in the reign of Abu al-Hasan (1331–1351), but modified in later centuries. Other major mosques from the more recent 'Alawi period are the Moulay Abdallah Mosque, built in the early to mid-18th century with the tomb of Sultan Moulay Abdallah, and the
R'cif Mosque The R'cif Mosque (; also transliterated as ''R'sif'', ''Ercif'', ''er-Rsif'', or ''Rasif'') is a Friday mosque in Fes el-Bali, the old city (medina) of Fez, Morocco. It has one of the tallest minarets in the city and overlooks Place R'cif in th ...
, built in the reign of Moulay Slimane (1793–1822). The Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani include mosque areas as well, as do several other prominent zawiyas in the city. The also includes many modern mosques, the largest of which is the Imam Malik Mosque which opened in 1994. Elsewhere, the Jewish quarter (Mellah) is the site of the 17th-century Al-Fassiyin Synagogue and Ibn Danan Synagogue, as well multiple other lesser-known synagogues, though none of them are functioning today. According to the
World Jewish Congress The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations, founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in August 1936. According to its mission statement, the World Jewish Congress's main purpose is to act as ...
there are only 150
Moroccan Jews Moroccan Jews (; ; ) are Jews who live in or are from Morocco. Moroccan Jews constitute an ancient community dating to Roman Empire, Roman times. Jews began immigrating to the region as early as 70 CE. They were much later met by a second wave o ...
remaining in Fes. The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, the only Catholic church in Fez, was established in 1919 or 1920, during the French colonial period. The current building was constructed in 1928 and expanded in 1933. Today it is part of the Archdiocese of Rabat, and it was most recently restored in 2005.


Madrasas

The al-Qarawiyyin was established in 857 by
Fatima al-Fihri Fatima bint Muhammad al-Fihriya al-Qurashiyya (), known in shorter form as Fatima al-Fihriya or Fatima al-Fihri, was an Arab woman who is credited with founding the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in 857–859 CE in Fez, Morocco. She is also known as (" ...
, originally as a mosque, now a university. It is the oldest existing and continually operating degree-awarding educational institution in the world according to
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
and
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
. The Marinid dynasty devoted great attention to the construction of madrasas following the
Maliki school The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the Maliki s ...
, resulting in the unprecedented prosperity of the city's religious institutions. The first madrasa built during the Marinid era was the
Saffarin Madrasa Saffarin Madrasa () is a madrasa in Fes el Bali, Fes el-Bali, the old medina quarter of Fez, Morocco, Fez, Morocco. It was built in 1271 Common Era, CE (670 Hijri year, AH) by the Marinid Sultanate, Marinid Sultan Abu Yaqub Yusuf an-Nasr, Abu Ya' ...
in Fes el-Bali by Sultan Abu Yusuf in 1271.Kubisch, Natascha (2011). "Maghreb – Architecture" in Hattstein, Markus and Delius, Peter (eds.) ''Islam: Art and Architecture''. h.f.ullmann. Sultan Abu al-Hasan was the most prolific patron of madrasa construction, completing the Al-Attarine, Mesbahiyya and Sahrij Madrasas. His son
Abu Inan Faris Abu Inan Faris (1329 – 10 January 1358) () was a Marinid ruler. He succeeded his father Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman in 1348. He extended his rule over Tlemcen and Ifriqiya, which covered the north of what is now Algeria and Tunisia, but wa ...
built the Bou Inania Madrasa, and by the time of his death, every major city in the Marinid Empire had at least one madrasa. The library of al-Qarawiyyin, which holds a large collection of manuscripts from the medieval era, was also established under Marinid rule around 1350. It is widely believed to be the oldest library in the world that is still open. The largest madrasa in the medina is Cherratine Madrasa, which was commissioned by the 'Alawi sultan Al-Rashid in 1670 and is the only major non-Marinid foundation besides the Madrasa of al-Qarawiyyin.


Tombs and mausoleums

Located in the heart of Fes el-Bali, the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II is a ''zawiya'' (a shrine and religious complex; also spelled ''zaouia''), dedicated to and containing the tomb of Idris II (or Moulay Idris II when including his
sharif Sharīf or Sherif (, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the fami ...
ian title) who is considered the main founder of the city of Fez. Another well-known and important zawiya is the Zawiyia of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, which commemorates Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, the founder of Tijaniyyah ''
tariqa A ''tariqa'' () is a religious order of Sufism, or specifically a concept for the mystical teaching and spiritual practices of such an order with the aim of seeking , which translates as "ultimate truth". A tariqa has a (guide) who plays the ...
'' from the 18th century. A number of zawiyas are scattered elsewhere across the city, many containing the tombs of important
Sufi Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
saints or scholars, such as the Zawiya of Sidi Abdelkader al-Fassi, the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed esh-Shawi, and the Zawiya of Sidi Taoudi Ben Souda. The old city contains several major historic cemeteries which stand outside the walls of Fes el-Bali, namely the cemeteries of Bab Ftouh (the most significant), Bab Mahrouk, and Bab Guissa. Some include marabouts or domed structures, containing the tombs of local Muslim saints (often considered Sufis), for example the Marabout of Sidi Harazem in the Bab Ftouh Cemetery. The ruins of the Marinid Tombs, built during the 14th century as a necropolis for the Marinid sultans, are close to the Bab Guissa Cemetery.


Fortifications

The entire medina of Fez was heavily fortified with
crenelated A battlement, in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at intervals t ...
walls with watchtowers and gates, a pattern of urban planning which can be seen in Salé and
Chellah The Chellah or Shalla ( or ; ), is a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis and ancient archeological site in Rabat, Morocco, located on the south (left) side of the Bou Regreg estuary. The earliest evidence of the site's occupation suggests that th ...
as well.Penell, C.R. (2013), ''Morocco: From Empire to Independence''; Oneworld Publications. pp. 66–67. The oldest sections of the walls today, on the north side of Fes el-Bali, date back to the Almohad period. The gates of Fez, scattered along the circuit of walls, were guarded by the military detachments and shut at night. Some of the main gates have existed, in different forms, since the earliest years of the city. The oldest gates today, and historically the most important ones of Fes el-Bali, are
Bab Mahrouk Bab Mahrouk, also spelled Bab Mahruq, ( ) is historically the main western city gate of Fes el Bali, the old walled city of Fes, Morocco. The gate dates from 1204 and is located on the northwestern corner of Place Bou Jeloud, near the edge of ...
(in the west), Bab Guissa (in the northeast), and Bab Ftouh (in the southeast). The main gates of Fes Jdid include
Bab Dekkakin Bab Dekkakin or Bab Dekakene () is a fortified and ceremonial Gates of Fez, gate in Fez, Morocco, Fes, Morocco. The gate is situated between the Royal Palace of Fez, Old Mechouar and the New Mechouar on the northern edge of Fes Jdid, Fes el-Jdid ...
, Bab Semmarine, and Bab al-Amer. In modern times, the function of gates became more ceremonial rather than defensive, as reflected by the 1913 construction of the decorative Bab Bou Jeloud gate at the western entrance of Fes el-Bali by the French colonial administration. Several forts were constructed along the defensive perimeters of the medina during different time periods. A "kasbah" in the context of
Maghrebi Maghrebi Arabic, often known as ''ad-Dārija'' to differentiate it from Literary Arabic, is a vernacular Arabic dialect continuum spoken in the Maghreb. It includes the Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian, Libyan, Hassaniya and Saharan Arabic di ...
region is the traditional military structure for fortification, military preparation, command and control. Some of them were occupied as well by citizens, certain tribal groups, and merchants. Throughout the city's history, 13 kasbahs were constructed.نفائس فاس العتيقة
: بناء 13 قصبة لأغراض عسكرية">نفائس فاس العتيقة : بناء 13 قصبة لأغراض عسكرية
. ''Assabah''. Retrieved 11 January 2018. Among them is the Kasbah an-Nouar, the Kasbah Tamdert, and the Kasbah Cherarda. The Saadis also built a number of bastions and forts in the late 16th century including Borj Nord and its sister fort, Borj Sud.


Tanneries

Since the city's foundation, the tanning industry has been continually operating in Fez and is considered one of the main tourist attractions. There are three tanneries in the city, largest among them is Chouara Tannery near the Saffarin Madrasa along the river. The tanneries are packed with the round stone wells filled with dye or white liquids for softening the hides. The leather goods produced in the tanneries are exported around the world. The two other major tanneries are the Sidi Moussa Tannery to the west of the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and the Ain Azliten Tannery in the neighbourhood of the same name on the northern edge of Fes el-Bali.


Historic palaces and residences

Many old private residences have also survived to this day, in various states of conservation. The typical traditional house (''dar'') is centered around an internal courtyard. Some of these houses also had internal gardens known as a '' riad''. Such private houses include the Dar al-Alami, the Dar Saada (now a restaurant), Dar 'Adiyil, Dar Belghazi, and others. Larger and richer mansions, such as the Dar Mnebhi, Dar Moqri, and Jamai Palace, have also been preserved. Numerous traditional houses, popularly known as "riads", are now utilized as hotels for the tourism industry. The Jamai Palace was converted into a luxury hotel, known as ''Palais Jamaï'', in the early 20th century. The lavish former mansion of the
Glaoui Thami El Glaoui (; 1879–23 January 1956) was the Pasha of Marrakesh from 1912 to 1956. His family name was el Mezouari, from a title given an ancestor by Ismail Ibn Sharif in 1700, while El Glaoui refers to his chieftainship of the Glaoua (Glaw ...
clan, known as the
Dar Glaoui Dar Glaoui or Glaoui Palace (; sometimes called by its French language, French name, ''Palais Glaoui'') is a late 19th-century and early 20th-century palace in Fez, Morocco, Fez, Morocco. It was owned by the Glaoui family, whose most famous membe ...
, is partly open to visitors but still privately owned. As a former capital, the city contains several royal palaces as well. Dar Batha is a former palace completed by the 'Alawi Sultan Abdelaziz. In 1915 it was turned into a museum of historical art and artifacts, containing around 6,000 pieces. A large area of Fes Jdid is also taken up by the 80-hectare Royal Palace, or Dar al-Makhzen. Its ornate gates built in 1969–71 are the main feature visible to the public. Its grounds are not open to the public, as they are still used by the King of Morocco when visiting the city.


Gardens

The Jnan Sbil Garden, between Fes Jdid and Fes el-Bali, is the oldest surviving garden in Fez and was created as a royal park and garden in the 19th century by Sultan Moulay Hassan I. Many bourgeois and aristocratic mansions also had private gardens, especially in the southwestern part of Fes el-Bali. Other gardens also exist within the grounds of the historic royal palaces of the city, such as the Agdal and Lalla Mina Gardens in the Royal Palace or the gardens of the Dar el-Beida (originally attached to Dar Batha).


Funduqs (historic merchant buildings)

The old city of Fez includes more than a hundred ''funduq''s or ''foundouk''s (traditional inns, or urban
caravanserai A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and Caravan (travellers), caravans. They were present throughout much of the Islamic world. Depending on the region and period, they were called by a ...
s). These commercial buildings housed the workshops of artisans or provided lodging for merchants and travelers. They also frequently served as venues for other commercial activities such as markets and auctions. The Funduq al-Najjarin was built in the 18th century by Amin Adiyil to provide accommodation and storage for merchants and now houses the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts. Other major important examples include the Funduq Shamma'in (also spelled ''Foundouk Chemmaïne'') and the Funduq Staouniyyin (or Funduq of the Tetouanis), both dating from the
Marinid The Marinid dynasty ( ) was a Berber Muslim dynasty that controlled present-day Morocco from the mid-13th to the 15th century and intermittently controlled other parts of North Africa (Algeria and Tunisia) and of the southern Iberian Peninsula ...
era or earlier, and the Funduq Sagha which is contemporary with the Funduq al-Najjariyyin.


Hammams (bathhouses)

Fez has preserved many of its historic
hammams A hammam (), also often called a Turkish bath by Westerners, is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing associated with the Islamic world. It is a prominent feature in the culture of the Muslim world and was inherited from the model ...
(public bathhouses in the Muslim world) which continue to be used by local people. Examples, all dating from around the 14th century, include the Hammam as-Saffarin, the Hammam al-Mokhfiya, and the Hammam Ben Abbad. They were generally built next to a well or natural spring which provided water, while the sloping topography of the city allowed for easy drainage. The layout of the traditional hammam in the region was inherited from the Roman bathhouse model, consisting of a
changing room A changing room, locker room (usually in a sports, theater, or staff context), or changeroom (regional use) is a room or area designated for changing one's clothes. Changing-rooms are provided in a semi-public situation to enable people to ch ...
, a cold room, a warm room, and a hot room. Though their architecture can be very functional, some of them, like the Hammam as-Saffarin and the Hammam al-Mokhfiya, feature more decoration. The hammams are identifiable from the exterior by the domes and vaults above their main chambers.


''Ville Nouvelle''

The ''Ville Nouvelle'' is centered around Avenue Hassan II, a wide street laid out by the French colonial administration after 1912 and known then as ''Avenue de France''. A tree-lined park area runs along its middle between the lanes for car traffic. At the avenue's northeastern end is ''Place de la Résistance'' (originally called Place Gambetta), a large
roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
with a fountain at its center. Further south along the same avenue is Place Florence (originally Place Lyautey), a wide plaza planted with trees and originally designed as a public garden. At the southwest end of the avenue is Place Ahmed El Mansour (originally Place Galliéni). During the colonial period the main public buildings of the city were erected along and around this main avenue. Buildings from this period were constructed in a mix of ''mauresque'' (Moorish Revival architecture, neo-Moorish or Moroccan architecture, Moroccan), Art Deco, and Neoclassical architecture, Neoclassical styles. On the south side of Place Florence is the Bank Al-Maghrib, Bank al-Maghrib building, built between 1928 and 1931 by architect René Canu. Nearby, on the east side of Avenue Hassan II, is the Central Post Office building. The first post office here was built in 1925 and 1927 by architect Edmond Pauty, but it was rebuilt and expanded in its current form by architect Emile Toulon in 1946–1947. The Appellate court, Court of Appeals building, located southwest of the post office, was constructed in 1934–1936 by architects Adrien Laforgue and Antoine Marchisio and it originally housed the Court of First Instance (''Tribunal d'instance, Tribunal de première instance'').


Culture

Fez is considered the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco. It is often called the "
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
of the West" and the "
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
of Africa."


Literature

Up until the 19th century, the al-Qarawiyyin dominated the intellectual life of the city and of the country around it. Literature was focused on religious scholarship, philosophy, and poetry. The city's largest library was located at the Qarawiyyin Mosque, while others were attached to other major mosques. Under Sultan Abd al-Rahman of Morocco, Abd al-Rahman () a new library was created inside the Royal Palace and later in the 19th century the city's wealthy elites began creating their own privates libraries. The city is also one of the historical centers of Moroccan Sufism and a significant body of written works were devoted to its many Sufi ''wali''s ("saints" or teachers). This type of literature established itself as one of the main literary genres of Morocco by the late 14th century and Sufi written works from Fez are especially abundant from the 17th to 20th centuries. A study by Ruggero Vimercati (family), Vimercati Sanseverino describes the rise of the ''Zawiya al-Fasiyya,'' a Sufi order founded in 1581 by Abu l-Mahasin Yusuf al-Fasi, as the impetus for the development of a tradition of Sufi literature particular to Fez. This literature was a diverse mix of Hagiography, hagiographies (religious Biography, biographies), Genealogy, genealogies, and Historiography, historiographies whose conventions evolved over time. Writers sought to establish a continuity between the teachings of contemporary Sufi masters and those that came before them, with the city of Fez portrayed as the center of this spiritual heritage. Towards the beginning of the 20th century Moroccan literature began to diversify, with polemic or political works becoming more common at this time. For example, there were Muhammad Bin Abdul-Kabir Al-Kattani's anti-colonial periodical ''at-Tā'ūn'' (الطاعون The Plague), and his uncle Muhammad ibn Jaqfar al-Kattani's popular ''Nasihat ahl al-Islam'' ("Advice to the People of Islam"), published in Fez in 1908, both of which called on Moroccans to unite against European encroachment. Fez, along with Cordoba, was one of the centers of a Jewish intellectual and cultural renaissance that took place in the 10th and 11th centuries in Morocco and al-Andalus. Jewish literary figures associated with Fez include the poet Dunash ben Labrat, Dunash Ben Labrat (d. ), the grammarian Judah ben David Hayyuj (d. ), the Talmudist Isaac Alfasi, Isaac al-Fasi (d. 1103), and the scholar Joseph ben Judah ibn Aknin (d. ), who were all born in Fez or spent time there. Maimonides (d. 1204), one of the most important Jewish intellectuals of his era, also lived in Fez from 1159 to 1165 after fleeing al-Andalus. The first book Printing, printed on the African continent was printed in Fez. A copy of ''David Abudirham, Sefer Abudarham'' () was printed in Hebrew language, Hebrew in 1516 by Samuel ben Isaac Nedivot and his son, who were Jewish refugees from Lisbon. The press was short-lived and printed 15 copies, one of which is now preserved at the Library of Congress. Printing in Arabic was introduced to Morocco in 1864–65, on the initiative of a man named , an Islamic scholar and judge originally from the Sous region. In 1864 Ar-Rudani, while returning from his ''Hajj'' pilgrimage, bought an Arabic printing press in Cairo and contracted an Egyptian operator, bringing both back with him to Morocco. The press appears to have been confiscated by the Moroccan authorities when it arrived at port and sent to Meknes, where Sultan Muhammad IV of Morocco, Muhammad IV was residing at the time. The first book in Arabic was thus printed in Meknes in June 1865, before the press was moved again to Fez in that same year, where it continued to operate until the 1940s. The press was installed in a central neighbourhood of Fes el-Bali and was managed by the government, which printed traditional scholarly books and made some of the productions available to the Qarawiyyin University free of charge. After 1871 the government transferred management of the press to private citizens and the applications of printing widened. After 1897 it became a regulated industry overseen by officials in Fez. By 1908 there were at least four printing establishments in Fez, while two other Moroccan printers were in Tangier. Hebrew printing presses were reintroduced to Morocco in the 1890s in Tangier and were more firmly established across the country in the 1920s.


Arts

Maghrebi script, Maghrebi Arabic script is an important part of the history of visual art in Fes. While some aspects of Maghrebi script are codified and prescribed, there have also been innovations, such as those by the 19th century calligrapher Muhammad Bin Al-Qasim al-Qandusi, Muhammad al-Qandusi. Fez remains the most important production center in Morocco for the art of ''zellij'' (traditional mosaic tilework) . workshops in other cities, such as Meknes, Salé and Marrakesh, usually follow or emulate the craftsmanship style of Fez. The modernist artist Jilali Gharbaoui studied at the Académie des Arts (Fès), ''Académie des Arts'' in Fes. Joseph Bouhsira was one of the earliest Moroccan photographers.Goldsworthy, Patricia Marie. “Colonial Negatives: The Prohibition and Commodification of Photography in Sharifian and French Morocco.” Ph.D., University of California, Irvine. Accessed 15 October 2024. https://www.proquest.com/docview/304853484/abstract/F79AF2DE4622473EPQ/1.


Music

Fes is associated with the () musical style, a result of a large migration of Muslims from Valencia to Fes. The Fessi ''āla'' style utilizes the Moroccan forms of the Andalusi nubah melodical arrangements. While this musical style is sometimes popularly referred to as Andalusi music, those who have studied it reject this naming: Mohamed El Fassi intentionally chose the name () to differentiate it from the Sufi tradition of Sama (Sufism), ''samā'', which is purely vocal, while , in his study of Mohammed al-Haik's (), described the appellation "Andalusi music" as an unprecedented colonial invention "meant to detract from [the musical form's] Arabness and [Moroccans'] intellectual and artistic abilities."


Cultural venues and institutions

The city's main museums are housed in historic monuments mentioned above, including the Nejjarine Museum, the Dar Batha Museum, and the Arms Museum in Borj Nord. The Al Houria Cultural Complex, opened in 2005, is a cultural center in the ''Ville Nouvelle'' that includes a theatre, a media library, and exhibition spaces. Several language institutes in Fez also organize cultural activities in addition to offering courses. The Institut Français, French Institute and the Instituto Cervantes, Cervantes Institute have branches in Fez which promote French and Spanish, respectively. The American Language Center and the Arabic Language Institute in Fez, sister organizations that share the same location in the ''Ville Nouvelle'', offer courses in English and Arabic, respectively.


Festivals

Fez hosts the annual World Sacred Music Festival, which started in 1994 and showcases religious music from around the world. The festival occurs in May or June and concerts take place at multiple venues across the city, including at historic sites such as Bab Makina (the New Mechouar) in Fes Jdid. The annual Festival of Amazigh Culture, which started in 2005, normally takes place in July and hosts performances from Amazigh (Berber) musicians and artists from across Morocco. The annual Festival of Sufi Culture hosts a conference with discussions and debates on Sufism as well as Sufi musical performances and rituals such as ''haḍra''s. The Festival of Malhoun Art features performances of ''malhun'' music and poetry from across the country. Multiple Mawsim, moussems (Sufi religious festivals) have traditionally taken place every year in honour of local Muslim saints and are typically sponsored by one or more of the city's guilds. The most important moussem in the city, and one of the most important in Morocco, is the Moussem of Moulay Idris II. This festival has taken place for hundreds of years and is sponsored by all the guilds in the city, who march through the city together in a procession that culminates at the mausoleum of Idris II. Each guild donates gifts to the zawiya, one of which is a ''keswa'', a large textile decorated with Qur'anic verses that is draped over Idris II's catafalque. The week of the moussem is also marked by other cultural events and entertainment. The Fez Running Festival is race that has taken place annually since 2022 with two competitions, one for kids and one for adults. It is organized by Abderrahime Bouramdane, a professional marathon runner who was born and raised in Fez. The festival sees thousands of participants every year who run a course that goes throughout the city.


Sport

Fez has two association football, football teams, MAS Fez (Fés Maghrebi) and Wydad de Fès (WAF). They both play in the Botola the highest tier of the Moroccan football system and play their home matches at the 45,000 seat Complexe Sportif de Fès stadium. Fez is one of the cities expected to host matches during the 2030 FIFA World Cup and there are plans to upgrade its sports stadium before this date. It is also expected to host matches during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The MAS Fez basketball team competes in the Nationale 1, Morocco's top basketball division.


Infrastructure


Parks

The availability of Urban green space, green spaces in Fez is limited and significantly deviates from the international standard, which calls for a minimum of ten square meters of green space per resident. As of 2022, the city provides only two square meters of green space per resident. Latin American Park is a park opened in the summer of 2015 that sits in the middle of Fez. It is around 3,700 square metres in area and employs about 40 workers. The park is dedicated to the relations of Fez and Latin America; its inauguration ceremony was attended by a delegation of ambassadors from Venezuela, Paraguay, and Panama. Latin American Park includes a number of facilities, such as a pool, a children's pavilion, cafes, and several trails. The Bird Park or Tropicana Park is another green area in Fez. Over seven acres in size, it features playgrounds, community event spaces, restaurants, and rest areas. The park was opened in June 2014 and is credited with significantly improving the recreational infrastructure of Fez. Inside the park is a "Bird Garden" which hosts more than thirty species of birds, local and imported, such as Peafowl, peacocks, parrots, and the North African ostrich. There are also ponds with Goose, geese and ducks.


Transport

The city is served by the region's main international airport, Fès–Saïs Airport, Fès–Saïs, located roughly 15 km south of the city center. A new terminal was added to the airport in 2017 which expanded the airport's capacity to 2.5 million visitors a year. The city's Fes railway station, main train station, operated by ONCF, is located a short distance from the downtown area of the and is connected to the rail lines running east to Oujda and west to Tangier and
Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...
. The main intercity bus terminal (or ) is located just north of
Bab Mahrouk Bab Mahrouk, also spelled Bab Mahruq, ( ) is historically the main western city gate of Fes el Bali, the old walled city of Fes, Morocco. The gate dates from 1204 and is located on the northwestern corner of Place Bou Jeloud, near the edge of ...
, on the outskirts of the old medina, although Compagnie de Transports au Maroc, CTM also operates a terminal off Boulevard Mohammed V in the '. Share taxi, Intercity taxis (also known as ) depart from and arrive at several spots including the Bab Mahrouk bus station (for western destinations like Meknes and
Rabat Rabat (, also , ; ) is the Capital (political), capital city of Morocco and the List of cities in Morocco, country's seventh-largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan population of over 1.2 million. ...
),
Bab Ftouh Bab Ftouh (also spelled Bab Fetouh) is the main southeastern Gates of Fez, gate of Fes el Bali, Fes el-Bali, the old Fortifications of Fez, walled city of Fez, Morocco, Fes, Morocco. History The name ''Bab (al-)Ftouh'' means literally "Gate ...
(for eastern destinations like Sidi Harazem Bath Complex, Sidi Harazem and Taza), and another lot in the ' (for southern destinations like Sefrou). The city operates a Public transport, public transit system with various Public transport bus service, bus routes.


Utilities

The city's water supply, sewage, and electricity networks are managed by the (). An activated sludge treatment plant has been treating Fez's wastewater since 2014.


Education

Primary education, Primary and secondary education in Fez is administered by Morocco's Ministry of National Education (Morocco), Ministry of National Education. It includes a preschool level, six years of primary school, followed by three years of middle school and three years of secondary school. Primary education, beginning at age six, is both free and obligatory. Vocational education is also offered. Fez's
University of al-Qarawiyyin The University of al-Qarawiyyin (), also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is a university located in Fez, Morocco. It was founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri in 857–859 and subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educ ...
is considered by some to be the oldest continually-operating university in the world. The university was first founded as a mosque by
Fatima al-Fihri Fatima bint Muhammad al-Fihriya al-Qurashiyya (), known in shorter form as Fatima al-Fihriya or Fatima al-Fihri, was an Arab woman who is credited with founding the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque in 857–859 CE in Fez, Morocco. She is also known as (" ...
in 859 which subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the historic Muslim world. It became a state university in 1963, and remains an important institution of learning today.
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (; ) is a university in Fez city, Morocco, which was founded in 1975. It is named for Mohammed ben Abdallah. In 2022, the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' rated Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah ...
is a public university founded in 1975 and is the largest in the city by attendance, counting over 86,000 students in 2020. It has 12 Faculty (division), faculties with sites across Fez; the two main campuses are known as Dhar El Mehraz and Sais. , another public university, was created in 2012 and is certified by the Union for the Mediterranean. The was started in 2006 and quickly established itself as one of the leading institutions in the private higher education sector in the city of Fez. In 2013, it became the , the city's first private university. Its main focus is its engineering school, though it also offers diplomas in architecture, business, and law.


International relations

Fez is Sister city, twinned with: * Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso (1982) * Chengdu, China (2015) * Coimbra, Portugal *
Córdoba Córdoba most commonly refers to: * Córdoba, Spain, a major city in southern Spain and formerly the imperial capital of Islamic Spain * Córdoba, Argentina, the second largest city in Argentina and the capital of Córdoba Province Córdoba or Cord ...
, Spain (1990) * East Jerusalem, Palestine (1982) * Florence, Italy (1961) * Jericho, Palestine (2014) *
Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( , ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661 ...
, Tunisia (1965) * Kraków, Poland (1985) * Montpellier, France (2003) * Saint-Louis, Senegal, Saint-Louis, Senegal (1979) * Suwon, South Korea (2003) * Wuxi, China (2011) * Xi'an, China (2019)


Notable people

* Abd al-Hafid of Morocco – Sultan of Morocco from 1909 to 1912, born in Fez * Abdellatif Laabi – Poet born in 1942 in Fez * Abderrahime Bouramdane – Professional marathoner from Fez * Abdessalam Benjelloun – Former international footballer born in Fez * Adel Taarabt – Moroccan association football player from Fez * Adnane Remmal – Professor at
Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University (; ) is a university in Fez city, Morocco, which was founded in 1975. It is named for Mohammed ben Abdallah. In 2022, the ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'' rated Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah ...
in Fez * Ahmad Zarruq – Prominent Islamic scholar * Akram Roumani – Former international footballer born in Fez * Ali ibn Qasim al-Zaqqaq – Author in the field of
Maliki The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
common law * Anas Zniti – Professional footballer born in Fez * Dunash ben Labrat – Commentator and poet born in Fez * Hamid Chabat – Moroccan politician and former mayor of Fez * Isaac Uziel – Physician, poet, and grammarian, born in Fez * Jilali Gharbaoui – Modernist artist, studied at the Académie des Arts (Fès), ''Académie des Arts'' in Fes * Karim Bennani – Moroccan painter born in Fez * Mehdi Bennani – Moroccan professional racing driver, born in Fez * Mohamed Chafik – Leading figure in the Amazigh (also known as Berberism, Berber) cultural movement, born in Fez * Princess Lalla Salma of Morocco – Princess consort of Morocco, born in Fez * Rachid Yazami – Scientist, engineer and inventor born in Fez * Roberto López Ufarte – Professional footballer from Fez * Samuel Pallache – Merchant, diplomat, and pirate, born in Fez * Soufiane El Bakkali – Steeplechase runner, born in Fez * Touria Chaoui – first female Moroccan aviator to get a pilot's license * Youssef En-Nesyri – International footballer born in Fez * Yves Lacoste – French geographer and geopolitician, born in Fez


Notes


References


Citations


Further reading

* *


External links

* * *
ArchNet – "Fès"
(Contains catalogue of monuments, pictures, and explanatory text) {{Authority control Fez, Morocco, Prefectural capitals in Morocco Regional capitals in Morocco 789 establishments 8th-century establishments in Africa Populated places established in the 8th century Former capitals of Morocco