The Fez Medina

The Fez Medina

Motor vehicle free roads

Making a room border

The Medina of Fez is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city of Fez was founded in the 9th century. Originally, the city that is known as Fez today, was two separate cities divided by walls and the Jawhar River. One city was founded by Idris I in 879 and the other by his son, Idris II, in 808. The Almoravids united the two cities in 1070 and in 1250, under the Marinid Dynasty, the city of Fez became the capital of Morocco once again. During the Marinid Dynasty, Fez reached it's height as a city which is also known as the Golden Age of Fez. 

Water source

Local transportation

Weavers

Today, Fez is not the capital, but it is still a large thriving city at a population of approximately one million. The medina in Fez is considered to be the largest urban area free from motor vehicles in the world. It was amazing to walk around the winding, very confusing, narrow streets and see nothing but people and donkeys. The buildings were built high overhead, but the walkways still were open to the sunlight above. The streets filled with tiny little shops selling anything from seafood to lamps seemed to be endless. If it wasn't for our tour guide, I most certainly would have gotten lost in this huge medina.

Tool making

Midday prayer

It makes me wonder how different it must be to grow up living in a place where you can walk to get to nearly anything you need and never have to leave the walls of the city. When donkeys carrying goods came by, we had to squeeze against the sides of the buildings to let them pass. We visited many artisans who made their goods by hand with techniques passed down through generations. Teapots makers, dyers, weavers, comb makers - all knew their craft so well and loved what they did. The tannery was one of the most interesting spots for me - but I will discuss this more in another blog entry. I think it is very admirable for these people to continue learning and making what they do, when so many other cities have completely modernized and made manufacturing of these products into a craft-less enterprise. The products were beautiful and were of a greater quality than those that are mass produced.

View from the restaurant

The University of  al - Karaouine

Another aspect of the medina that I like is buying your food fresh everyday. People in Morocco do not seem to do the large shopping trips that we do where we buy foods that are preserved to last. Instead people here buy food much more often. It is fresh and mostly organic. This type of life is something I wish could more easily be incorporated into American society. Fez is also home to the world's oldest university, the University of al-Karaouine. Being a student, this was a very interesting place to get to see, especially since it was something I didn't know I was going to get to see before going! The medina in Fez was definitely beyond interesting and I would love to go visit again. If you're going to get lost in Morocco, I would suggest doing it in this medina - it will be an experience you never forget!

Lantern Shop

View from the roof of our restaurant

مولي