Fez is famous for its medina (old town), which was founded in 808 and is celebrating its 1200th anniversary this year. It houses the world's oldest university, and thousands of craftsmen (and a few craftswomen) who produce all sorts of lovely stuff, such as ceramics, leather goods, metal goods, etc...
Fez also used to have a significant Jewish community (as did most of Morocco), until many of them left in 1968, lured by Israeli citizenship. Today, the King's private secretary and chief adviser and one of the ministers are Jewish (not bad for a Muslim country...). Today there are about 22000 Jews in Morocco.
Because we didn't have so much time, we hired a private guide to take us around the Medina (9000+ streets). He was really great and we had a good time with him. Please note that none of the pictures are posed, except if it's obvious (as in this one).
Kamal took us to see many artisans, and we were able to see how they work. In some cases, were were able to see several steps in the same product's life, which was particularly interesting.Fez is famous for its tanneries, where lamb pelts are died by hand. It's harrowing work, and not particularly good for your health. This guy is dipping skins into a lie solution to take off the remaining wool and fat.
The skins are then dipped in natural color solutions to be dyed.
Yellow skins are treated seperatly because saffron is so expensive.
Once the skins have been treated, they are carried on donkey back (or human back) to the auction.
The auction (yellow and natural skins)
Michele standing next to giant bags of recovered wool.
Another Fassie specialty is cactus silk, which is hand dyed, as below.
And then carried by donkey to be spun
Once they are spun, they get sold in bobbins in shops like this (that's the whole shop) to be woven into clothing somewhere down the street.
This is how they make those ceramic table tops...
Women weave carpets. These two sisters were making one to order in a coop that we visited. We ended up buying one (it's a bit of a cliche, but it looks nice), which you'll see in pictures of our living room...
Fez also has some beautiful monuments and sights, as you can admire below. The stucco work on this wall is really something.
A nice perspective through the center of a medersa, a Coranic school's dormitory.
The royal palace, just outside the medina.
Somewhere in the medina
A two-paneled door in the medina.
A fountain in the medina, which along with the communal bread oven, the mosque, the medresa, and the hammam, is a key element that defines one of the 300 neighborhoods in the medina.
A green-tiled minaret
Donkeys working hard. There is significant renovation work going on, and since trucks and cars can't make it through the small streets, donkeys carry lots of stuff.
The Blue Gate, which, as you'll notice, is green from this side (but blue on the other, which you see as you enter).
In the synagogue, the minder insisted on taking this picture of us.
The Jewish cemetery, a haven of quiet in this crazy city.
Fez also has a significant modern town, with some beautiful avenues.
