Labyrinth of medina - Medina of Fez 170; Arts, skills and practices associated with engraving on metals (gold, silver and copper) 01951
What and Why
Fez (Tamazight: ⴼⴰⵙ, Fas) is the mediaeval capital and imperial city of Morocco (ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ, Lmeɣrib) founded by Idris bin Abdullah (Arabic: إدريس الأول) in the late 8th century CE, as a great city of high Islamic civilisation. Due to this important origin of the city, the city has grown non-stop since its inception and it has become one of the largest medina (Arabic: مدينة) in the world.
Fez has the best-preserved old walled city in the Arab world, and the sprawling, labyrinthine medina of Fez is incidentally also the world's largest car-free urban zone. Within the millennium-old medina transports of goods is still provided by donkeys, mules and hand carts, as this is really the only option available inside the medina. It houses the University of Al-Qarawiyyin (Arabic: جامعة القرويين, Jamieat Alqurwiayn) which was founded in 859 CE as the oldest continuously functioning university in the world.
The entire medina is a cinema of culture by itself and its a microscopic view of Morocco in general. The medina is considered as one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world. The unpaved urban space conserves the majority of its original functions and attribute. It not only represents an outstanding architectural, archaeological and urban heritage, but also transmits a life style, skills and culture that persist and are renewed despite the diverse effects of the evolving modern societies.
After getting in and out from the medina, one must wonder 'How do I not get lost?'. Undoubtedly one will feel that this is definitely the real Morocco after getting out of the maze.
Toponymy
The name Fez derived from the Arabic name 'فأس (Faʾs)' meaning 'axe', when axes were extensively used to construct the medina. Contrary to common beliefs, the name of the Turkish hat fez does come from this city. It is named after the colour of the hat, which is mostly produced by the tanneries from Fez.
See
Medina, Fez el-Bali (فاس البالي)
Fez el-Bali (Arabic: فاس البالي) means the 'old Fez' in Arabic and is the larger of the two medinas and the concentration of all the tourist activities. The other, less visited is Fez Jdid (Arabic: فز جديد), meaning 'new Fez' is less visited. From a panoramic view from another hill, one can appreciate the size of both zones and how do you actually enter and get out of the medina. The medina definitely overwhelms all your senses!
Makhzen (ⵍⵎⴻⵅⵣⴰⵏ)
As in the blog of Meknes (ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ), there is a royal palace Makhzen (ⵍⵎⴻⵅⵣⴰⵏ) in Fez, and is actually more visited as the gate looks more formidable. This is located in the Fez Jdid and similarly decored like its namesake in Meknes (ⴰⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ, Amknas). It is not open to public.
Synagogue Aben Danan (בית הכנסת אבן דאנן)
The Synagogue Aben Danan (Hebrew: בית הכנסת אבן דאנן) is an absolute must-visit. While it is a Jewish synagogue, it is taken care by Muslims for centuries and is used as a combined worshipping place. The walls are wainscotted with blue figured Moroccan tiles. The large Torah Ark (Hebrew: אָרוֹן קׄדֶש, Orun Kdsh), a cupboard filling the width of an entire wall, is made of carved wood, which shows the harmonious integration of religion in Morocco.
The guide repeatedly emphasised that this synagogue is taken care by the Muslim residents, reminding us tourists that Muslims and Jewish do live harmoniously together, against what the western media often portray.
Bab Boujloud (باب بوجلود)
Note this gate, because this is the main entrance of the medina and the start of the maze run. Bab Boujloud (Arabic: باب بوجلود) means leather gate in Arabic, referring to its importance in leather tanning. The Moorish gate was built in 1913 CE.
Medina (مدينة)
The place sells all sorts of stuffs but finding the way is the big problem, at least for a tourist. The place seems reasonably safe. Surprisingly the maze has signboards aplenty to guide tourists, at least pointing to those important gates and monuments. As if finding the way is not challenging enough, most of the medina is actually covered which makes finding direction even more difficult. At one point I had the urge to play hide-and-seek with my troupe and see what would happen. Not sure if this was a good idea, as there are more than 9,000 alleyways within the medina.
If there is one thoroughfare, that would be Rue Talaa Kebira (Arabic: طلاع كبير), meaning the great climb. Other this main roads, most of the alleys are very narrow, as the medina was also designed to thwart intruders.
Bou Inania Madrasa (اⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰⵏ ⴱⵓ ⵉⵏⴰⵏⵉⵢⴰ)
Bou Inania Madrasa (اⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰⵏ ⴱⵓ ⵉⵏⴰⵏⵉⵢⴰ), from Sultan Abu Inan Faris (Arabic: أبو عنان فارس بن علي), is a mosque plus a Muslim school, and is open to the public. The school was constructed during the 14th century CE and remains one of the most decorated Islamic colleges ever built. The grand courtyard in the middle deserves a good photoshot. Opposite the Madrasa Bou Inania is the Dar al-Magana (Arabic: دار المكانة), meaning 'clockhouse' a wall with an interesting hydraulic clock.
Funduq al-Najjarin (فندق النجارين)
Funduq al-Najjarin (Arabic: فندق النجارين) means 'carpenters' inn' and that is exactly what it used to be. The building prominently uses the zellige (Arabic: الزليج); tiles, carved woods and stuccos and the different levels are very high and prominent and is designed like a traditional riad (Arabic: رياض;), with a prominent atrium. The place now serves as a local congregation of public events.
Saffarin Madrasa (مدرسة الصفارين)
Saffarin Madrasa (Arabic: مدرسة الصفارين) means the ‘madrasa for metalworkers’ in Arabic, this is one of the first Muslim schools in the region, dating back to the 13th century CE. It is a tiny madrasa, with lavish tiles on the ground floor surrounded by accommodations for students. The name comes from the fact that metal craftsmen work at the area, as shown.
In many Arabic medinas, as blogged in Algiers (ⵍⴷⵣⴰⵢⵔ) metal-forming and metal-engraving forms part of an important heritage and commercial activity. Arab states use metalwares extensively and as a result these states have developed their own special and unique skills and techniques for their own products. The manufacture of metallic utensils plus the artistic engraving for graphics onto the metallic object is a practice passed on generations after generations, especially within the medina. Each shops or families The Saffarin Madrasa is a concentration of these metalworkers and it is itself a special cultural heritage extending across various Arabic states. Metal engraving has been recently inscribed and recognised as an ICH.
University of Al-Qarawiyyin (جامعة القرويين)
As an academic, it is imperative that we visit the oldest continuously running university of the world and officially holds the Guinness World Record for this. University of Al-Qarawiyyin (Arabic: جامعة القرويين, Jamieat Al-qarawiiyn) is located at the smack of the medina centre, just in front of the Saffarin Madrasa. It is largely a religious and spiritual school but does give other courses like law and science nowadays. As a matter of fact, depending on how you gauge it, it is also one of the younger universities in the world, having only being incorporated into the national university system proper in 1963 CE. To gain admission, in addition to being a Muslim, prospective students of the Qarawiyyin are required to have memorised the Quran (Arabic: القرآن, al-Qurʼān) and Maliki (Arabic: مالكي) law in full, and in general to have a very good command of classical Arabic.
The Arabic name of the university, جامعة القرويين means the 'University of the People from Qairouan'. Qairouan (Arabic: القيروان, Qeirwān) is in Tunisia (Arabic: التونسية, At-Tūnisīyah) and was the most important Sunni (Arabic: أهل السنة والجماعة, Ahl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Jamāʿah) learning centre during the early development of the Islam.
Chouara Tanneries (دار شوارة للدبغ)
Chouara (Arabic: الشورى) means 'public consultation', and Chouara Tanneries (Arabic: دار شوارة للدبغ) is the oldest tannery in the world, and whether it is unfortunate or not, the operation is still very primitive and laborious, in fact the way of tanning leather has not changed much since mediaeval times. This place really stinks badly, as part of the tanning mixtures involves cow urine, pigeon faeces, quicklime, salt, and water, which are all stored in the white pots in the picture. One will start enjoying the pungent odour once one get reasonably close to the tannery vicinity along the alleys.
This process of tanning takes two to three days to prepare the animal hides to absorb the dyes. They are then soaked in the dyeing solutions, which use natural colourants. After the dyeing, they are dried under the sun and sold freshly to the local merchants.
Kasbah An-Nouar (قصبة النوار)
After a day's walk and assuming no one gets lost, you probably will end up in the other end of the citadel and reach Kasbah An-Nouar (Arabic: قصبة النوار), meaning the 'citadel of flowers' in Arabic. This is a medium size bazaar selling foodstuffs.
Buy and Do
All sorts of stuffs: marbles, stonewares, brasswares, ceramics, leather goods, textiles, fruits, exotic food, in the medina, especially the leather goods near the tannery. You can literally find anything you can imagine. Moroccan medina and markets are itself a scene of its own. Remember to bargain and haggle, with bargain starting as low as 25% of the asking price. Most importantly do a maze run in the medina.
Eat and Drink
We had a good drink in a riad (Arabic: رياض;) called Riad Amor. Not sure if one wants to eat anything inside the medina as we worry if food inside the medina is up to usual tourist hygiene standard. We shall discuss more about a riad in a later blog of Rabat (ⴰⵕⴱⴰⵟ).
Travel Suggestions and Logistics
Getting there is easy, getting around is difficult, although there are more signages than you actually expect and after all I did not get lost. Google Maps does not work here as you are trapped in narrow covered alleys most of the time. We had a good guide, but the fact that once you rely on a guide, you also lose your bearings easily. Spend at least one full-day here.
The train station is within walking distance to Dar El-Makhzen.
As discussed in our blog in Rabat (ⴰⵕⴱⴰⵟ), a simple but good three-day road-trip would definitely include Rabat and Meknes and one will experience the full Moroccan experience. For a slightly longer trip include the northern coastline.
UNESCO Inscription
Founded in the 9th century and home to the oldest university in the world, Fez reached its height in the 13th–14th centuries under the Marinids, when it replaced Marrakesh as the capital of the kingdom. The urban fabric and the principal monuments in the medina – madrasas, fondouks, palaces, residences, mosques and fountains - date from this period. Although the political capital of Morocco was transferred to Rabat in 1912, Fez has retained its status as the country's cultural and spiritual centre.
References
Comments
Please share your thoughts and comments about the blog. If you need suggestions to build a travel itinerary, please let me know. More than willing to help. I would also like to build a bespoke-travel community around UNESCO WHS and ICH.
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