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Fez is an ancient city that shrugs in the face of modernity and continues as it always has. You won’t find cars or fast food joints inside the city’s famous medina. Instead, prepare for yourself for a bustling market scene, spices, Moroccan rugs, and vibrant pottery on display, and stunning Islamic architecture in the form of mosques and beautiful riads.
The word “medina” means city in Arabic, though nowadays it typically refers to the old town, or medieval portion of a city. In Fez, the medina is also known as Fez-el-Bali, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This medina was historically populated by North African Muslims and Jews, as well as refugees from surrounding Moorish countries. Originally, each distinct population held their own private district in the medina, but today the people of Fez are a mixture of all of these groups.
Fez (also spelled Fes, Fès, and Fās in Arabic) was founded in 789, making it the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities. Fez is both a center of traditional crafts making, trade, and agriculture, with the hills surrounding the city producing wheat, beans, olives, grapes, and all kinds of livestock.
The medieval city today is much as it appeared in ancient times, composed of twisting side-streets and alleys that were built to confuse invaders. The streets are too narrows for cars, (some are even too narrow for rickshaws) and the high walls of the surrounding buildings mean they are always in the shade. This is an important feature in the summer months, when the alleyways remain cool.
One typically asked question by those who travel to Fez is: what does the city have to do with the hat? A fez hat, or fez cap, is small, flat-topped ovular hat with a single tassel draped over its side. It was worn by Ottoman gentleman for over a century, and it was named after the city in Morocco.
This is because, although the hat gained traction in European countries (particularly in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Turkey), the red dye to make the hats was exclusively produced in Morocco, and hats were manufactured by Muslim countries for a long time.
For most Muslims nowadays, the Fez hat is a negative symbol of oppression and is not worn. The only exception to this is Fez, Morocco -- here, the Fez hat is worn with pride. It symbolizes resistance to the French (it was worn as a form of protest against the French during the occupation of the country), and is a symbol of nationalism.
The city of Fez is home to some of the oldest tanneries in Morocco, many of which operate in almost the exact same way that they have for a thousand of years. The rooftop tanneries are made up of huge stone vats, each filled with either a softening agent or colored dye. On the flats around pots, expect to see various hides lying out and drying in the sun.
Some of the tannery’s workers will be in inside of the pots, waist-deep in liquid. They are softening the hides with their feet, kneading the skins into the ammonia for three hours at a time.
You can get a good view of the tanneries from their shops, which are located on ledges around the stone vats. Here, a guide will explain to you the in-depth process of tanning. It’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed, but don’t have a big lunch beforehand! Some of the ingredients used to soften the hides, including pigeon poop and cow urine, make the tanneries very pungent places.
Thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the trip. Thought it was well organised. Riding through the dunes on a camel! Staying in Kasbah Oliver and exploring the village a...
What an exciting adventure my trip to Morocco was with nearly everyday a new city/town to visit in just over two week period. I thoroughly enjoyed the culture past...
A relaxing and very enjoyable adventure. First day of camel trecking was enhanced by a terrific sandstorm, followed by torrential rain that fell whilst we were sle...
This really is an incredible trip across Morocco. We got to see not just the cities, the history and the landscapes but a huge slice of Moroccan life as well. We...
Overall this was a good and varied trip. The people in the group were lovely, some were a little eccentric (but in a good endearing way). I hope to keep in touch ...
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