Traditions of Fez
The oldest imperial city of Morocco, with a medieval medina, the world's oldest university and its leather tanneries.
Fez el-Bali, the old city, was founded in the ninth century and is one of the largest car-free urban areas in the world. It houses the Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 and often described as the oldest continuously working university. Craftspeople continue to work as they did centuries ago, in tanneries, brass workshops and carpentry.
Crafts and Sufi nights
The leather tanneries dye hides in stone vats of pigeon droppings and natural dyes. Fez hosts a festival of sacred music every June, bringing Sufi singers and choirs. The artisans of the old city make zellige, hand-cut mosaic tile, from clay fired in kilns.
At the table
Fez is considered the capital of Moroccan cuisine. Pastilla, rfissa, a chicken dish with lentils and fenugreek served for new mothers, and sfenj, ring doughnuts, are staples. Tea with fresh mint and plenty of sugar is poured from a height. Preserved lemon and olives are everywhere.
Signature traditions of Fez
Also part of it, and being written: Zellige (Moroccan mosaic tilework.), Fes Festival of World Sacred Music (The Fez festival.), Rfissa (The new mother's dish.), Pastilla (The pie.).
A trail idea for Fez
- Chouara Tannery Look from a terrace above.
- Al-Attarine Madrasa A tiled school of the fourteenth century.
- Bou Inania Madrasa A court of cedar and zellige.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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