Fes (/fɛs/;Arabic:فاس,romanized: fās) orFez (/fɛz/) is a city in northern inlandMorocco and the capital of theFez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of thelargest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024census.[2] Located to the northwest of theAtlas Mountains, it is surrounded by hills and the old city is centered around theFez River (Oued Fes) flowing from west to east. Fez has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa". It is also considered the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco.
Fez reached its zenith in theMarinid era (13th–15th centuries), regaining its status as political capital. Numerous newmadrasas andmosques were constructed, many of which survive today, while other structures were restored. These buildings are counted among the hallmarks ofMoorish andMoroccan architectural styles. In 1276 the Marinid sultanAbu Yusuf Yaqub also founded the royal administrative district ofFes Jdid (lit.'New Fez'), where theRoyal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) is still located today, to whichextensive gardens were later added. During this period theJewish population of the city grew and theMellah (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 oldmedina quarters, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, and the much larger modern urbanVille Nouvelle area founded during theFrench colonial era. The Medina of Fez is listed as aWorld Heritage Site and is one of the world's largest and oldest urbanpedestrian zones (car-free areas). It contains theUniversity of al-Qarawiyyin which was founded in 857 and is the oldest continuously functioning institute of higher education in the world. It also contains theChouara Tannery from the 11th century, one of the oldesttanneries in the world.
The name of the city inArabic isفاسFās (orڢاس in traditionalMaghrebi script), from which the English names Fez, Fès, and Fas are derived. According to some traditions, the city's name comes from the Arabic wordفأسFaʾs, meaningpickaxe. 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 thatIdris I used a silver and gold pickaxe to dig alongside his workers.[4]: 26 [5][6] Another account reported byIbn Abi Zar 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".[4]: 26–27 [5] It was also suggested that the name is aZnati 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 "فحص (faẖs)" meaning "plain wide land".[7]
During the rule of theIdrisid dynasty (788 to 974), Fez consisted of two cities:Fās, founded by Idris I,[8] andal-ʿĀliyá, founded by his son,Idris II. During this period the capital city was known asal-ʿĀliyá, with the nameFās being reserved for the separate site on the other side of the river. No Idrisid coins have been found with the name Fez, onlyal-ʿĀliyá andal-ʿĀliyá Madinat Idris. It is not known whether the nameal-ʿĀliyá ever referred to both urban areas. The two cities were united in 1070 and the nameFās was used for the combined site.[9]
The city was first founded in 789 asMadinat Fas on the southeast bank of the Jawhar River (now known as theFez River) byIdris I, founder of theIdrisid dynasty. Idris I was anHasanidSharif fromArabia who was forced to flee theHejaz after afailed revolt against theAbbasid Caliphate, eventually moving to northern Morocco and conquereing much of the area.[10][11] His son,Idris II,[12] built a settlement calledal-ʿĀliyá on the opposing river bank in 809 and moved his capital here fromWalili (Volubilis).[13]: 35 [14]: 35 [15]: 83 The early population was composed mostly ofBerbers, along with hundreds of Arab warriors fromKairouan who made up Idris II's entourage.[13]: 35, 41 [15]: 82
Arab immigration to Fez increased afterwards.Andalusi families of mixedArab andIberian descent,[16] who were expelled fromCórdoba after a rebellion in 817–818 againstal-Hakam I, were one major component of the immigrant population. These families mainly settled inMadinat Fas.[13]: 46–47 The immigrants from Kairouan and al-Andalus gave the city its Arabic character and would subsequently give their name to the districts of'Adwat Al-Andalus [ar] and'Adwat al-Qarawiyyin [ar].[17]: 51 The city also had a prominentJewish community, probably consisting ofZenata Berbers who had previously converted toJudaism, as well as a small remainingChristian population for a time. The Jews were especially concentrated in a northeastern district ofal-ʿĀliyá, known asFunduq el-Yihoudi (near the present-dayBab Guissa gate).[13]: 42–44
Following the death of Idris II in 828 the region was divided among his sons. The eldest,Muhammad, 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 underAli ibn Muhammad andYahya ibn Muhammad, it fell into decline again in the late 9th century.[18]
In the 10th century, the city was contested by theUmayyad Caliphate ofCórdoba and theFatimid Caliphate ofIfriqiya (Tunisia), who ruled the city through a host ofZenata clients.[15]: 88–91 [18][21]: 63–64, 74–75 The Fatimids took the city in 927 and expelled the Idrisids definitively, after which theirMiknasa (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 byBuluggin ibn Ziri in 979 and a brief period of Fatimid control, the forces ofAl-Mansur ofCordoba managed to retake the region again, expelling the Fatimids permanently.[18] From 980 (or from 986[22][13]), 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.[14]: 16 [22][15]: 91
Fez continued to grow under Zenata control, even though conflicts between its two settlements,Madinat Fas andal-ʿĀliyá, flared up during periods of political rivalry.Ziri ibn Atiyya, the first ruler of the new dynasty, had a troubled reign.[13]: 50 However, Ibn Atiyya's descendant Dunas ibn Hamama, ruling between 1037 and 1049, was responsible for improving the city's infrastructure.[23] He developed much of Fez'swater supply system, which has largely survived up to the present day.[23][24] Other structures built in his time includedhammams (bathhouses), mosques, and the first bridges over theOued Bou Khrareb (mostly rebuilt in later eras).[13]: 51 [23][25][26] 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.[4]: 36 A decade after Dunas, between 1059 and 1061, the two cities were ruled separately by two brothers who were rival Zenataemirs that fought with each other:al-ʿĀliyá was controlled by an emir named Al-Gisa andMadinat 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 andBab Ftouh in the south.[27]: 31 [13]: 50, 53, 110
In 1069–1070 (or possibly a few years later[22]), Fez was conquered by theAlmoravids underYusuf ibn Tashfin. In the same year of this conquest, Yusuf ibn Tashfin unifiedMadinat Fas andal-ʿĀliyá into one city. The walls dividing them were destroyed, bridges connecting them were built or renovated, and a new circuit ofwalls was constructed that encompassed both cities. Akasbah (Arabic term for "citadel") was built at the western edge of the city (just west ofBab Bou Jeloud today) to house the city's governor and garrison.[13]: 53 [24] Although the capital was moved to Marrakesh under the Almoravids, Fez acquired a reputation forMaliki legal scholarship and remained an important centre of trade and industry.[13]: 52–54 [14]: 17–18 Almoravid impact on the city's structure was such that Yusuf ibn Tashfin is sometimes considered to be the second founder of Fez.[28]
Remains of thecity walls on the north side of Fes el-Bali, which were rebuilt during theAlmohad period (12th-13th century)
In 1145 theAlmohad leaderAbd al-Mu'min 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.[13]: 55 [24] However, due to Fez's continuing economic and military importance, the AlmohadcaliphYa'qub al-Mansur ordered the reconstruction of the ramparts.[27]: 36 [24]: 606 The walls were completed by his successorMuhammad al-Nasir in 1204,[27]: 36 giving them their definitive shape and establishing the perimeter of Fes el-Bali to this day.[13]: 56 [24][29]: 19 The Almohads built the Kasbah Bou Jeloud on the site of the former Almoravid kasbah[13]: 56 and also built the first kasbah occupying the site of the currentKasbah an-Nouar.[4]: 72 [27]: 109 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.[29]: 19 During the 12th century, the city was one of the largest in the world,[30][31] with an estimated population of 200,000.[30] By 1200, Fez and Cairo had probably become the largest Muslim cities.[32]
In 1250, Fez regained its status as the capital under theMarinid dynasty. The city reached its golden age in the Marinid period.[33]: 16 [13]: 61–78 [14]: 20 In 1276, an anti-Marinid revolt resulted in a massacre of the Jewish community that was stopped by the intervention of the rulerAbu Yusuf Ya'qub.[34][35] Following the revolt, Abu Yusuf Yaqub foundedFes Jdid 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.[13]: 61–78 [36] Between 1271 and 1357 sevenmadrasas were built, which are among the best examples of Moroccan architecture and some of the most richly decorated monuments in Fez.[37]: 285–289, 291–293 [38][39]: 312–314
Jews of Fez photographed in the 1900s. TheMellah was the traditional Jewish quarter of the city since the 15th century.
TheJewish quarter of Fez, theMellah, was created in Fes Jdid at some point during the Marinid period. The exact date and circumstances of its formation are not firmly established,[40][35] 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.[40][41][42][43] TheMoroccan Jewish community had initially consisted of indigenous local Jews (known as theToshavim) but these were joined byWestern Sephardic Jews fleeing from theIberian Peninsula (known as theMegorashim) in subsequent generations, especially after the1492 expulsion of Jews from Spain and1496 expulsion of Jews from Portugal.[44]
The1465 Moroccan revolt overthrew the last Marinidsultan. In 1472 theWattasids, another Zenata dynasty which had previously served asviziers under the Marinid sultans, succeeded as rulers of Morocco from Fez.[21]: 114–115 [45] They perpetuated the structure of the Marinid state and continued its policies, but were unable to control all of Morocco.[33]: 15 [21]: 207–209 They did not contribute significantly to the physical fabric of Fez.[46]
Borj Nord, aSaadi fortress built in the 16th century overlooking Fez from the north
In the 16th century theSaadis, a dynasty claimingprophetic heritage, rose to power in southern Morocco and challenged the Wattasids. Around the same time, theOttoman Empire came close to Fez after its conquest ofAlgeria. In January 1549, the Saadi sultanMohammed ash-Sheikh took Fez and ousted the last Wattasid sultanAli Abu Hassun. The Wattasids laterretook 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.[17]: 157 The Ottomans attempted to invade Morocco after the assassination of Mohammed ash-Sheikh in 1558, but were stopped by his sonAbdallah al-Ghalib at theBattle of Wadi al-Laban north of Fez.[17]: 158 After the death of Abdallah al-Ghalib a new power struggle emerged.Abd al-Malik, Abdallah's brother,captured Fez with Ottoman support and ousted his nephewAbu Abdullah from the throne. This led to theBattle 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 byAhmad al-Mansur (r. 1578–1603).[47]
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.[48]: 70 Perhaps as a result of persistent tensions with the city's inhabitants, the Saadis built a number of new forts andbastions around the city which appear to have been aimed at keeping control over the local population.[a]
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.[47][50] 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.[22] In 1641,Muhammad al-Haj of theSanhajaDilā' Sufi order occupied Fez.[51]: 88 The time was particularly difficult for Fessi Jews.[51]: 88
It was only when the founder of the'Alawi dynasty,Moulay Rashid, took Fez in 1666 that the city saw a revival and became the capital again, albeit briefly.[29]: 25 Moulay Rashid set about restoring the city after a long period of neglect. He built theKasbah Cherarda (also known as the Kasbah al-Khemis) to the north of Fes Jdid in order to house a large part of his tribal troops.[13]: 84 [29]: 25 He also restored or rebuilt what became known as the Kasbah an-Nouar, which became the living quarters of his followers from theTafilalt region (the 'Alawi dynasty's ancestral home).[13]: 84 [4]: 72–73 Moulay Rashid also built a large new madrasa, theCherratine Madrasa, in 1670.[38]
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 nearbyMeknès as his capital instead.[13]: 84 Although he did restore or rebuild some major monuments in the city, such as theZawiya 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.[13]: 84–85 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 theUdayas (or Oudayas), aguich 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.[13]: 85–86
Starting with the reign ofMoulay 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.[13]: 88 [14]: 25–26 The 'Alawis continued to rebuild or restore various monuments and undertook a series of extensions to the Royal Palace.[38][52] The sultans and their entourages also became more and more closely associated with the elites of Fez and other urban centers, with theulama (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.[17]: 242–247
TheTijani Sufi order, started byAhmad al-Tijani (d. 1815), has had its spiritual center in Fez since al-Tijani moved here from Algeria in 1789.[17]: 244 The order spread quickly among the literary elite of North West Africa and itsulama had significant religious, intellectual, and political influence in Fez and beyond.[53] Until the 19th century the city was the only source offezzes (also known as thetarboosh).[12]
The NewMechouar, created byMoulay Hassan I in the late 19th century at the northern entrance to Fes Jdid and the Royal Palace; on the left is the entrance to theDar al-Makina, dating from the same time
The last major change to Fez's topography before the 20th century was made during the reign ofMoulay Hassan I (1873–1894), who finally connected Fes Jdid and Fes el-Bali by building a walled corridor between them.[13]: 89 [29]: 25–26 New gardens and summer palaces, used by the royals and the capital's high society, were built within the corridor, such as theJnan Sbil Gardens and theDar Batha palace.[13]: 89–90 [52] 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 theDar al-Makina, to the north. The expansion separated the Moulay Abdallah neighbourhood to the northwest from the rest of Fes Jdid.[52]
Fez played a central role in theHafidhiya, the brief civil war that erupted whenAbdelhafid challenged his brotherAbdelaziz for the throne. Theulama of Fez, led by theSufi modernistMuhammad Bin Abdul-Kabir Al-Kattani, offered theirconditioned support to Abd al-Hafid, which turned the tide of the conflict.[54][55] Abdelaziz was defeated in theBattle of Marrakesh in 1908.[54]: 76–78 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 ColonelCharles Émile Moinier [fr] arrived in Fez on May 21 and established a command centre at Dar Dbibegh.[22][17]: 313 [54]: 78
The abdication ofAbd al-Hafid, Sultan of Morocco in 1912
In 1912,French colonial rule was instituted over Morocco following theTreaty of Fes. One immediate consequence was the1912 riots in Fez, a popular uprising which included deadly attacks targeting Europeans as well as native Jewish inhabitants in theMellah, followed by an even deadlier repression.[56][57] The first French resident general,Hubert Lyautey, decided to move the administrative capital of the Protectorate toRabat in 1912–1913, which has remained the capital ever since.[58]: 149 [59][60]
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 (theVilles 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".[61][62][63] TheVille Nouvelle also became known asDar Dbibegh by Moroccans, as the former palace ofMoulay Abdallah was located in the same area.[22]
A street in the modernVille Nouvelle ("New City") of Fez
The creation of the separate FrenchVille Nouvelle to the west had a wider impact on the entire city's development.[63] While new colonial policies preserved historic monuments, they stalled urban development in heritage areas.[61] ScholarJanet Abu-Lughod 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.[64][65]: 165–166 [61] This separation was partly softened, however, by wealthy Moroccans who started moving into theVille Nouvelles during this period.[66][14]: 26 By contrast, the old city (medina) of Fez was increasingly settled by poorer rural migrants from the countryside.[14]: 26
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 theAl-Qarawiyyin University and some of their informal political networks were established thanks to this shared educational background.[67]: 140, 146 In July 1930, the students and other inhabitants protested against theBerber Dahir, decreed by the French authorities in May of that year.[68][67]: 143–144 In 1937, the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque andR'cif Mosque were rallying points for demonstrations against a violent crackdown on Moroccan protesters in the nearby city ofMeknes, which ended with French troops being deployed across Fes el-Bali, including at the mosques themselves.[21]: 387–389 [67]: 168 Towards the end ofWorld War II, Moroccan nationalists gathered in Fez to draft a demand for independence which they submitted to theAllies on January 11, 1944. This resulted in the arrest of nationalist leaders followed by the violent suppression of protests across many cities, including Fez.[69][67]: 255
After Morocco regained its independence in 1956, many of the trends begun under colonial rule continued and accelerated. Much of Fez'sbourgeois classes moved to the growing metropolises ofCasablanca and the capital, Rabat.[14]: 26 [70]: 40 The Jewish population was particularly depleted, either moving toCasablanca or emigrating to countries like France,Canada, andIsrael. Although the population of the city grew, it did so only slowly up until the late 1960s, when the pace of growth finally accelerated.[69]: 216 Throughout this period Fez nonetheless remained the country's third largest urban center.[14]: 26 [69]: 216 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.[15]: 376 TheVille Nouvelle became the locus of further development, with new peripheral neighbourhoods–with inconsistent housing quality–spreading outwards around it.[69] In 1963 the University of Al-Qarawiyyin was reorganized as astate university,[71] while a new public university,Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, was founded in 1975 in theVille Nouvelle.[72] In 1981, the old city, consisting of Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[73]
Social inequalities and economic precarity were accentuated during the repressive reign ofKing Hassan II and the period known as theYears of Lead (roughly 1975–1990).[54]: 170 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 December 14, 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 theHôtel des Mérinides, 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.[15]: 377 [74][75][76]
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.[77] 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 theFez River.[78][79][80][81]
The city is divided between its historicmedina (the two walled districts ofFes el-Bali andFes Jdid) and the now much largerVille Nouvelle (New City) along with several outlying modern neighbourhoods. The old city is located in a valley along the banks of theOued Fes (Fez River) just above its confluence with the largerSebou River to the northeast.[13]: 32 [12] 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.[13]: 232–235
The new city occupies a plateau on the edge of the Saïsplain. 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 ofSefrou, while the city ofMeknes, the next largest city in the region, is located to the southwest.[82][83]
Northwest of theMiddle Atlas mountains, Fez has ahot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classificationCsa) 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 800 mm (31 in) in good years. The winter highs typically reach around 15 °C (59 °F) and winter lows average about 4.5 °C (40 °F) in December–January. Frost is not uncommon during the winter period. The summer highs peak in July and August at approximately 34.5 °C (94 °F) with average lows of 18 °C (64 °F). The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in the city are 46.7 °C (116 °F) and −8.2 °C (17 °F), respectively.Snowfall on average occurs once every 3 to 5 years. Fez recorded snowfall in three straight years in 2005, 2006 and 2007.[84][85]
Climate data for Fez (Fès–Saïs Airport), altitude: 579 m (1,900 ft) 1991–2020
According to the 2024national 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).[2] Most of the population was Moroccan, but it also included 3,832 resident foreigners.[2] In the 2014 census, the foreigner population of Fez made up 4.2 percent of the total foreigner population of Morocco.[90] The predominant religion in Fez isIslam.[91] In the past the city had a largeJewish population, but as of 2001, less than 200 Jewish people remain.[92]
The main spoken language in Fez is ArabicDarija (Arabic:الدارجة المغربية,lit. 'Moroccan vernacular'), avernacular variety of Arabic. Like the inhabitants of other historical urban centers in Morocco,Ahl Fes (أهل فاس "the people of Fes," referring especially to old elite families) speak their own distinct dialect of Darija.[93] ThisFessi dialect has traditionally been regarded as aprestige dialect over other forms of Moroccan Darija—particularly those seen as rural or'arūbi (عروبي "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 oflinguistMohammed Errihani.[93][94]
Many of these features were shared with the other "pre-Hilalian" dialects in the region.[95]: 5, 24 [b] 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.[96][95]: 5, 24 Prior to the departure of most Jewish residents in the second half of the 20th century, the Jewish community in Fez also spokean Arabic dialect similar to the rest of the city.[95]: 24 [c]
Modern Standard Arabic andBerber (Tamazight) are Morocco's two official state languages, althoughFrench is also widespread as a language of government and law.[97][98] The primary language of theliterary traditions of Fes is Arabic.[99] 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.[100]
Historically, the city was one of Morocco's main centers of trade and craftsmanship. Thetanning industry, for example, still embodied bytanneries of Fes el-Bali today, was a major source ofexports and economic sustenance since the city's early history.[101] Up until the late 19th century, the city was the only place in the world which fabricated thefez hat.[12] The city's commerce was concentrated along its major streets, likeTala'a Kebira, and around the centralbazaar known as theKissariat al-Kifah from which many othersouqs (markets) branched off.[13]: 112, 122–129 [14]: 52–56 The crafts industry continues to this day and is still focused in the old city, though largely reliant on tourism.[12]
Today, the city's surrounding countryside, the fertile Saïss plains, is an important source of agricultural activity producing primarilycereals,beans,olives, andgrapes, as well as raisinglivestock.[12][102] Tourism is also a major industry due to the city's UNESCO-listed historicmedina.[12] Religious tourism is also present due to the old city's many majorzawiyas (Islamic shrines), such as the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and theZawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, which attract both Moroccan and international (especiallyWest African) pilgrims.[103] The city and the region still struggle with unemployment and economic precarity.[104]
Twomunicipalities (Arabic:جماعتين حضريتين, French:communes) in theFez Prefecture [ar] (Arabic:عمالة فاس) 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.[105]
The municipality of Fez has an area of 94 square kilometres (36 sq mi) and recorded a population of 1,091,512 in the 2014 Moroccan census.[106] It is divided into sixarrondissements (مقاطعات):
The municipality of Fez is governed by a 91-member council, elected by direct universal suffrage every six years.[108][109] Thearrondissements 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.[110] Executive power is wielded by a president and ten vice-presidents, which are elected by the council.[111] 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.[112]
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 1.6 square kilometres (0.62 sq mi) in extent,[113] and recorded a population of 20,560 in the 2014 census.[106] The municipality possesses a special administrative status as the location of a royal palace (theDar al-Makhzen orméchouar), 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.[107][114]
The subdivisions of Fez Prefecture are grouped into twoelectoral districts, North Fez and South Fez, each of which elects four members to theHouse of Representatives. North Fez consists of thearrondissements of El Mariniyine, Fès-Médina, and Zouagha and the municipality of Méchouar Fès Jdid. South Fez consists of the other threearrondissements of Agdal, Jnan El Ouard, and Saiss, and the three rural municipalities outside the city of Fez.[115][116]
The historic city of Fez consists of Fes el-Bali, the original city on both shores of theOued 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 largerVille Nouvelle (new city). Fes el-Bali is the oldest continuously inhabitedwalled city in the Arab world,[117] and one of the largest and oldest urbanpedestrian zones (car-free areas) in the whole world.[118][119][120] 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,[121] still used by theKing of Morocco 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.[d]
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) designatedMedina of Fez aWorld Heritage site, describing it as "one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world."[73] It was the first site in Morocco to be granted this status.[123]
Interior of the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II in Fes el-BaliInterior of theAl-Fassiyin Synagogue in the Mellah
There are numerous historicmosques in the medina, some of which are part of a madrasa orzawiya. Among the oldest still standing today are the Mosque of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 857 and subsequently expanded,[48][124] theMosque of the Andalusians founded in 859–860,[125][126]: 7 theBou Jeloud Mosque from the late 12th century,[127] and possibly the Mosque of the Kasbah en-Nouar (which may have existed in theAlmohad period but was likely rebuilt much later[4][13]). 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 (oral-Anouar Mosque); however, they no longer exist in their original form. The Mosque of the Sharifs was the burial site ofIdris II and evolved into the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II that exists today, while the al-Anouar Mosque has left only minor remnants.[13]: 33
A number of mosques from the important Marinid era, when Fes Jdid was created to be the capital of Morocco, include theGreat Mosque of Fez el-Jdid from 1276, theAbu al-Hasan Mosque from 1341,[128] theChrabliyine Mosque from 1342,[129] and theal-Hamra Mosque from around the same period.[130] TheBab Guissa Mosque was also founded in the reign ofAbu al-Hasan (1331–1351), but modified in later centuries.[38] Other major mosques from the more recent 'Alawi period are theMoulay Abdallah Mosque, built in the early to mid-18th century with the tomb of SultanMoulay Abdallah,[37]: 391 and theR'cif Mosque, built in the reign of Moulay Slimane (1793–1822).[131] 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.[4]: 118–131 [132][13]: 132–133 TheVille Nouvelle also includes many modern mosques, the largest of which is the Imam Malik Mosque which opened in 1994.[133][134][135]
Elsewhere, the Jewish quarter (Mellah) is the site of the 17th-centuryAl-Fassiyin Synagogue andIbn Danan Synagogue, as well multiple other lesser-known synagogues, though none of them are functioning today.[42] According to theWorld Jewish Congress there are only 150Moroccan Jews remaining in Fes.[136] 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 theArchdiocese of Rabat, and it was most recently restored in 2005.[137][138][139]
The al-Qarawiyyin was established in 857 byFatima al-Fihri, originally as a mosque, now a university.[140]: 9 [141]: 40 It is the oldest existing and continually operating degree-awarding educational institution in the world according toUNESCO andGuinness World Records.[142][73] The Marinid dynasty devoted great attention to the construction of madrasas following theMaliki school, resulting in the unprecedented prosperity of the city's religious institutions. The first madrasa built during the Marinid era was theSaffarin Madrasa in Fes el-Bali by Sultan Abu Yusuf in 1271.[39]: 312 SultanAbu al-Hasan was the most prolific patron of madrasa construction, completing theAl-Attarine,Mesbahiyya andSahrij Madrasas. His sonAbu Inan Faris built theBou Inania Madrasa, and by the time of his death, every major city in the Marinid Empire had at least one madrasa.[143] The library of al-Qarawiyyin, which holds a large collection of manuscripts from the medieval era, was also established under Marinid rule around 1350.[4]: 148 It is widely believed to be the oldest library in the world that is still open.[144] The largest madrasa in the medina isCherratine 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.[145]
Located in the heart of Fes el-Bali, the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II is azawiya (a shrine and religious complex; also spelledzaouia), dedicated to and containing the tomb of Idris II (or Moulay Idris II when including hissharifian title) who is considered the main founder of the city of Fez.[12][146]: 51 Another well-known and important zawiya is the Zawiyia of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, which commemorates Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, the founder of Tijaniyyahtariqa from the 18th century.[147] A number of zawiyas are scattered elsewhere across the city, many containing the tombs of importantSufi saints or scholars, such as theZawiya of Sidi Abdelkader al-Fassi, theZawiya of Sidi Ahmed esh-Shawi, and theZawiya of Sidi Taoudi Ben Souda.[148]: 579 [149]: 62, 149
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 theMarabout of Sidi Harazem in the Bab Ftouh Cemetery.[13]: 114, 468, 604 The ruins of theMarinid Tombs, built during the 14th century as a necropolis for the Marinid sultans, are close to the Bab Guissa Cemetery.[14]: 8
The entire medina of Fez was heavily fortified withcrenelated walls with watchtowers and gates, a pattern of urban planning which can be seen in Salé andChellah as well.[143] The oldest sections of the walls today, on the north side of Fes el-Bali, date back to the Almohad period.[14]: 36 The gates of Fez, scattered along the circuit of walls, were guarded by the military detachments and shut at night.[143] Some of the main gates have existed, in different forms, since the earliest years of the city.[13]: 40–58 The oldest gates today, and historically the most important ones of Fes el-Bali, areBab Mahrouk (in the west), Bab Guissa (in the northeast), and Bab Ftouh (in the southeast).[13]: 56, 109, 123, 126, 138, 142 [14]: 36–41 The main gates of Fes Jdid includeBab Dekkakin,Bab Semmarine, andBab al-Amer.[52] 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 theFrench colonial administration.[14]: 42
Several forts were constructed along the defensive perimeters of the medina during different time periods. A "kasbah" in the context ofMaghrebi 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.[150] Among them is the Kasbah an-Nouar, theKasbah Tamdert, and the Kasbah Cherarda.[14]: 36–37 [13]: 105–108 The Saadis also built a number of bastions and forts in the late 16th century includingBorj Nord and its sister fort,Borj Sud.[151][13]: 84, 105
Since the city's foundation, thetanning 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 isChouara 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 thehides. The leather goods produced in the tanneries are exported around the world.[152][153][154] The two other major tanneries are theSidi Moussa Tannery to the west of the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and theAin Azliten Tannery in the neighbourhood of the same name on the northern edge of Fes el-Bali.[13]: 220
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 ariad.[155]: 55–75 [13]: 495–496 Such private houses include the Dar al-Alami,[156] the Dar Saada (now a restaurant),Dar 'Adiyil, Dar Belghazi, and others. Larger and richer mansions, such as theDar Mnebhi,Dar Moqri, andJamai Palace, have also been preserved.[14]: 103–156 Numerous traditional houses, popularly known as "riads", are now utilized as hotels for the tourism industry.[157] The Jamai Palace was converted into a luxury hotel, known asPalais Jamaï, in the early 20th century.[158][14]: 116 The lavish former mansion of theGlaoui clan, known as theDar Glaoui, is partly open to visitors but still privately owned.[159]
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.[160] 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.[161]: 148 [82]
TheJnan 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.[14]: 296 [13]: 100 [162] Many bourgeois and aristocratic mansions also had private gardens, especially in the southwestern part of Fes el-Bali.[13]: 124, 482 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 theDar el-Beida (originally attached to Dar Batha).[13]: 90, 97 [14]: 154, 294–296 [161]: 150
The old city of Fez includes more than a hundredfunduqs orfoundouks (traditional inns, or urbancaravanserais). These commercial buildings housed the workshops of artisans or provided lodging for merchants and travelers.[13]: 318 They also frequently served as venues for other commercial activities such as markets and auctions.[13]: 190–191, 280, 307–308 TheFunduq 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.[163][13]: 134 Other major important examples include theFunduq Shamma'in (also spelledFoundouk Chemmaïne) and theFunduq Staouniyyin (or Funduq of theTetouanis), both dating from theMarinid era or earlier, and theFunduq Sagha which is contemporary with the Funduq al-Najjariyyin.[13][38][164][165][166]
Fez has preserved many of its historichammams (public bathhouses in the Muslim world) which continue to be used by local people.[168][169][170] Examples, all dating from around the 14th century, include theHammam as-Saffarin, theHammam al-Mokhfiya, and theHammam Ben Abbad.[171][168][169] 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.[168] The layout of the traditional hammam in the region was inherited from theRoman bathhouse model, consisting of achanging room, acold room, awarm room, and ahot room.[168][169] 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.[168]
TheVille Nouvelle is centered around Avenue Hassan II, a wide street laid out by the French colonial administration after 1912 and known then asAvenue de France.[172]: 139 A tree-lined park area runs along its middle between the lanes for car traffic. At the avenue's northeastern end isPlace de la Résistance (originally called Place Gambetta), a largeroundabout with a fountain at its center.[173][174]: 82 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.[175][176][174]: 82 At the southwest end of the avenue is Place Ahmed El Mansour (originally Place Galliéni).[174]: 82
During the colonial period the main public buildings of the city were erected along and around this main avenue.[172]: 139 Buildings from this period were constructed in a mix ofmauresque (neo-Moorish orMoroccan),Art Deco, andNeoclassical styles.[172]: 172–192 On the south side of Place Florence is theBank al-Maghrib building, built between 1928 and 1931 by architect René Canu.[172]: 181 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.[172]: 433 TheCourt 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 de première instance).[172]: 181
Fez is considered the spiritual and cultural heart of Morocco.[73][177][4]: 17–18 It is often called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa."[178][179][180]
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.[13]: 475–476 The city's largest library was located at the Qarawiyyin Mosque, while others were attached to other major mosques. Under SultanAbd al-Rahman (r. 1822–1859) 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.[13]: 472–473
The city is also one of the historical centers of Moroccan Sufism and a significant body of written works were devoted to its many Sufiwalis ("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.[183]: 54, 108 A study by Ruggero Vimercati Sanseverino describes the rise of theZawiya al-Fasiyya, a Sufi order founded in 1581 byAbu l-Mahasin Yusuf al-Fasi, as the impetus for the development of a tradition of Sufi literature particular to Fez.[183]: 109, 297 This literature was a diverse mix ofhagiographies (religiousbiographies),genealogies, andhistoriographies 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.[183]
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 wereMuhammad Bin Abdul-Kabir Al-Kattani's anti-colonial periodicalat-Tā'ūn (الطاعون The Plague), and his uncleMuhammad ibn Jaqfar al-Kattani's popularNasihat 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.[54]: 68, 86
Table of calculations from a copy of theSefer Abudraham printed in Fez in 1516, the first book printed in Africa[184]
Printing in Arabic was introduced to Morocco in 1864–65, on the initiative of a man namedMuhammad at-Tayyib ar-Rudani [ar], an Islamic scholar and judge originally from the Sous region. In 1864 Ar-Rudani, while returning from hisHajj 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 SultanMuhammad 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.[99]: 110–115 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.[99]: 119–128, 140 After 1897 it became a regulated industry overseen by officials in Fez.[99]: 134–139 By 1908 there were at least four printing establishments in Fez, while two other Moroccan printers were inTangier.[99]: 139 Hebrew printing presses were reintroduced to Morocco in the 1890s in Tangier and were more firmly established across the country in the 1920s.[190][189]
Maghrebi Arabic script is an important part of the history of visual art in Fes.[192] While some aspects of Maghrebi script are codified and prescribed, there have also been innovations, such as those by the 19th century calligrapherMuhammad al-Qandusi.[193]
Fez remains the most important production center in Morocco for the art ofzellij (traditional mosaic tilework) .[194][195]Zellij workshops in other cities, such as Meknes, Salé and Marrakesh, usually follow or emulate the craftsmanship style of Fez.[195]
Fes is associated with thetarab al-āla [ar] (Arabic:طرب الآلة,lit. 'joy of the instrument') musical style, a result of a large migration of Muslims fromValencia to Fes.[198] The Fessiāla style utilizes the Moroccan forms of theAndalusi nubah melodical arrangements.[199] While this musical style is sometimes popularly referred to asAndalusi music, those who have studied it reject this naming:Mohamed El Fassi intentionally chose the nameāla (Arabic:آلة,lit. 'instrument') to differentiate it from the Sufi tradition ofsamā, which is purely vocal, whileIdrīs Bin Jellūn at-Twīmī [fr], in his study ofMohammed al-Haik'sKunash al-Haik (Arabic:كناش الحائك), 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."[200]
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.[82][201] The Al Houria Cultural Complex, opened in 2005, is a cultural center in theVille Nouvelle that includes a theatre, a media library, and exhibition spaces.[202][203][204] Several language institutes in Fez also organize cultural activities in addition to offering courses. TheFrench Institute and theCervantes Institute have branches in Fez which promote French and Spanish, respectively.[205][206] The American Language Center and the Arabic Language Institute in Fez, sister organizations that share the same location in theVille Nouvelle, offer courses in English and Arabic, respectively.[207][208][209]
Fez hosts the annualWorld Sacred Music Festival, which started in 1994 and showcasesreligious 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.[210][211] 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.[212][213][214] The annual Festival of Sufi Culture hosts a conference with discussions and debates on Sufism as well as Sufi musical performances and rituals such ashaḍras.[215][216] The Festival of Malhoun Art features performances ofmalhun music and poetry from across the country.[217][218]
Multiplemoussems (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'sguilds. 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[e] 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 akeswa, a large textile decorated with Qur'anic verses that is draped over Idris II'scatafalque. The week of the moussem is also marked by other cultural events and entertainment.[219][4]: 86, 130 [220][221][13]: 301–302
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 byAbderrahime Bouramdane, a professionalmarathon 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.[222][223]
Fez is one of the cities expected to host matches during the2030 FIFA World Cup and there are plans to upgrade its sports stadium before this date.[227] It is also expected to host matches during the2025 Africa Cup of Nations.[228]
The availability ofgreen 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.[231][232]
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 andLatin America; its inauguration ceremony was attended by a delegation of ambassadors fromVenezuela,Paraguay, andPanama. Latin American Park includes a number of facilities, such as a pool, a children's pavilion, cafes, and several trails.[233]
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 aspeacocks,parrots, and theNorth African ostrich. There are also ponds withgeese andducks.[234]
The city is served by the region's main international airport,Fès–Saïs, located roughly 15 km south of the city center.[82] A new terminal was added to the airport in 2017 which expanded the airport's capacity to 2.5 million visitors a year.[235]
The city'smain train station, operated byONCF, is located a short distance from the downtown area of theVille Nouvelle and is connected to the rail lines running east toOujda and west toTangier andCasablanca.[236][82] The main intercity bus terminal (orgare routière) is located just north ofBab Mahrouk, on the outskirts of the old medina, althoughCTM also operates a terminal off Boulevard Mohammed V in theVille Nouvelle.Intercity taxis (also known asgrands taxis) depart from and arrive at several spots including the Bab Mahrouk bus station (for western destinations like Meknes andRabat),Bab Ftouh (for eastern destinations likeSidi Harazem andTaza), and another lot in theVille Nouvelle (for southern destinations like Sefrou).[82][237]
Fez'sUniversity of al-Qarawiyyin is considered by some to be the oldest continually-operating university in the world.[241][73] The university was first founded as a mosque byFatima al-Fihri in 859 which subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the historicMuslim world.[71] It became a state university in 1963, and remains an important institution of learning today.[242]
TheÉcole polytechnique de Technologie 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 thePrivate University of Fez [ar], the city's first private university.[247] Its main focus is its engineering school,[248] though it also offers diplomas in architecture, business, and law.[249]
^They were located on higher ground overlooking Fes el-Bali, from which they would have been easily able to bombard the city with canons. These include theKasbah Tamdert, just inside the city walls nearBab Ftouh, the fortressess ofBorj Nord to the north andBorj Sud to the south, and thebastions of Borj Sheikh Ahmed, Borj Twil, and Borj Sidi Bou Nafa' to the west. These fortifications were mostly built by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur in the late 16th century. Their design is influenced byEuropean (probablyPortuguese) military architecture in thegunpowder age.[13]: 79–80 [29]: 37 [49]: 92
^"Pre-Hilalian" in this context refers to dialects believed to descend from the Arabic spoken in the region prior to the arrival of theBanu Hilal and theBanu Ma'qil tribes that began in the 12th century. After this event, "Hilalian" dialects became dominant in the rural regions of central Morocco and are a major component of wider Moroccan Arabic today.[95]: 2–10
^There are competing theories about the historical roots of Moroccan Jewish dialects of Arabic. Some scholars argue that they were strongly influenced byAndalusi Arabic dialects (which were similar to North African dialects) brought by Jewish refugees from Spain after 1492, while other scholars argue that these same refugees mostly spokeJudeo-Spanish when they arrived and eventually adopted existing Arabic dialects in the cities.[95]: 10–12
^Medina is the Arabic word for "city", which in former French colonies in North Africa is also used to refer to the old part of a city, as the French largely generally built new cities (Ville Nouvelles) next to them and left the historic cities intact.[122]
^The veneration of Idris II as a patron saint began in the 15th century and so the moussem developed some time after this.[13]: 301–302, 599
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