Fez, Morocco

Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco. About 1 million people lived there in 2010. It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region. The city has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa".

Fas / ⴼⴰⵙ / فاس Fez
Coordinates: 34°2′N 5°0′W
Country	Morocco
Region	Fès-Boulemane
Founded	789
Founded by	Idrisid dynasty
Government
• Mayor	Hamid Chabat
• Governor	Mohamed Rerrhabi
Elevation	1,258.9 ft (383.7 m)
Population  (2004)
• Total	1,044,376
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name	Medina of Fez
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii, iv
Designated	1981
Reference no.
State Party	Morocco
Region	Arab States

Fez is the former capital. It is one of the country's four "imperial cities". The others are Rabat, Marrakech and Meknes.

"Fas el Bali", one part of the city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fes has a football team, MAS Fez. They play in the Botola the highest tier of the Moroccan football system. They play their home matches at the 45,000 seat Complexe Sportif de Fès stadium.

Main sights

Fez is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination. Many non-Moroccans are now restoring traditional houses (riads and dars) as second homes in the Fez medina. The most important monuments in the city are:

• Bou Inania Madrasa
• Al-Attarine Madrasa
• University of Al-Karaouine
• Zaouia Moulay Idriss II
• Dar al-Magana
• Aben Danan Synagogue

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  Fez medina.

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  Bab Bou Jeloud, "The Blue Gate" of Fez.

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  The Bou Inania Madrasa built by the Marinid sultan Abu Inan Faris in 1351.

Notable residents

• Muhammad XII of Granada, last Moorish king of Al-Andalus.
• Jamal Fakir, French international rugby league player.
• Madame Guinaudeau, French cookery and travel writer.

Twin towns — Sister cities

Fez is twinned with:

• Montpellier, France, since 1961
• Strasbourg, France, since 1961
• Florence, Italy, since 1961
• Kairouan, Tunisia, since 1965
• Saint Louis, Senegal, since 1979
• Córdoba, Andalusia, Spain, since 1982
• İzmir, Turkey, since 1995
• Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, since 2003
• Suwon, South Korea, since 2003
• Coimbra, Portugal
• Lahore, Pakistan
• Puebla, Mexico

Partnerships

• Kraków in Poland (since 1985)

Fez, Morocco Media

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  Interior of the Qarawiyin Mosque, founded in 859

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  A page from a 16th century manuscript of Rawḍ al-Qirṭās, a book about the history of Fes under the Idrisids, Banu Zanata, Almoravids, Almohads and Marinids.

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  Remains of the city walls on the north side of Fes el-Bali, which were rebuilt during the Almohad period (12th-13th century)

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  The Bou Inania Madrasa, the most important madrasa built by the Marinids in Fes (14th century)

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  Jews of Fez photographed in the 1900s. The Mellah was the traditional Jewish quarter of the city since the 15th century.

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  Borj Nord, a Saadi fortress built in the 16th century overlooking Fez from the north

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  Patio of Moulay Rashid (17th century) inside the Royal Palace of Fez (photo from 1922)

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  The New Mechouar, created by Moulay 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 the Dar al-Makina, dating from the same time

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  The abdication of Abd al-Hafid, Sultan of Morocco in 1912