Discover Fez: Medina and history
Accommodation in Fez
Explore Fez through the alleys of the Medina and the city’s history. Visitors can stroll through the alleys of the imperial Medina; Bab Boujloud is considered the easiest access point. From the area around the Medina, the minaret of the Karaouiyine Mosque can be seen in the distance. The gate and the distant view offer different perspectives: one leads into the Medina, while the other draws the eye to a minaret. You can consider these aspects separately when planning your trip.
The Medina and its history
The Medina of Fez is considered the oldest and largest medina in Morocco. It preserves the memory of the capital founded by the Idrisid dynasty between 789 and 808 AD. The description of the original city also offers a concrete insight into its historical structure: Fez consisted of two large fortified quarters, separated by the Fez River, on the banks of the Andalous and the Kaïrouanais. The founding of the capital and the layout of the original city are two distinct aspects of its history. If you are interested in the development of cities, this distinction offers a chronological and a spatial point of reference.
Place de Bab Makina offers another historical perspective. Official ceremonies of the royal palace used to take place there. Unlike the history of the capital’s founding and its fortified quarters, this concerns the former function of a specific square. Fez thus brings together several historical themes: the founding of the capital, the original urban structure, and the former ceremonies of the royal palace.
The Musée Nejjjarine and its collection
The Musée Nejjjarine, also known as the Musée du bois de Fès, opened in 1998. It is housed in an inn dating from the 18th century. The building was originally constructed to feed and accommodate merchants carrying luxury goods on their way to Fez. The building’s history therefore offers a distinct way into the museum’s subject: alongside the objects on display, the inn’s former function is also part of the historical context.
The collection includes traditional wooden objects such as tools, furniture, and musical instruments. The doors of the Bou Inania Medersa are also on display. The exhibits span three floors. This offers two distinct points of interest for choosing a theme: the wooden objects and the building’s history as an inn. The objects give the museum visit a particular focus, while the building’s former use draws attention to the history of the luxury goods trade on the way to Fez.
Markets and sports as other themes
Products used by Moroccan women for beauty care are sold at the El Henna market in Fez. This adds a market with a particular connection to personal care products to the historical and museum-related themes. If you are interested, you can consider El Henna as a different focus alongside the Medina and the Musée Nejjjarine.
Golf is also one of the sports highlighted in Fez. This offers a different way to experience the city than exploring its history or museum exhibits. If you would like to include sports alongside cultural topics when planning your trip, you can add golf as another aspect highlighted in Fez.
Discover more destinations: Ville Nouvelle, El Adergha, Sefrou, Sidi Harazem, Caïd Bou Malla, Boulemane, El Ksabi, Imouzzer Kandar.
Back to the broader travel overview: Fès-Boulemane.
