The Artisans of Fez - Fez, Morocco

Carving on a gold plate

The man patiently working on his piece

Rambling in Fez medina would be more meaningful if we understand the history as well as the culture of the locals.  Fez is more than just a religious city, trade and artisans flourish from medieval until today.  It is a paradise of artisans and traditional authentic crafts is all over the Medina.  If you have a lot of time, it would be wonderful to explore the Medina and get yourself lost among the 9,000 little shops but if time is your biggest constraint then hiring a trusted guide is the best option. We tried both, getting ourselves lost in this medieval walled city as well as hiring a professional guide.

We were lucky to have an excellent guide, Khalid, who introduced to us several crafts and artwork available in the city. We stopped to have a glimpse of some artisans working on silver, gold and camel bone.   The artisans are very skillful as they have inherited the trade from one generation to another for hundred of years. The medina though congested, is divided into various sections

Lovely intricate design on the plate

Unlike our earlier experience of getting lost in the crowded Medina, this time with Khalid, we moved from one section of the souk to another with great ease but sharing the narrow streets with the donkeys can be hard. When we heard men shouting "Belek, Belek!" surely behind us will be the heavy laden donkeys trying to make their way.  

Very effective time management - in just half a day, we were able to get to most part of the Medina. We went to the metal section, the tannery for the leathers, the food section, textiles section, copper and wood section. Several names of the sections in Arabic were mentioned by Khalid, like Attarine,  Daraqqin, Saffarin and I lost count of them.

We bought this beautiful piece as a wedding gift for a friend

Copper, silver and gold plated plate for the wall decoration

Beautifully decorated pieces

The chest box is made of camel bone and wood

Mirror decorated with camel bones

Hand-crafted tombstone 

The man working on the tombstone

Beautiful jar made from pieces of camel bones

Hand-made cooking pots

The Impressive Madrasa Bou Inania - Fez, Morocco

The interior of Madrasa Bou Inania

As a center of learning, Madrasa is an important institution in the medieval Islamic world and even today the institutions continue their challenging roles in a modern world. The fundamental role played by the Madrasa had resulted in the existence of highly literate society during the period. The name, Madrasa Bou Inania in Fez came from the founder, Abu Inan Faris (1351-1356). This Madrasa functions as a mosque and a learning center which is very much the same as Al Qarawiyin which is at another end of the Medina. They were having Asar congregational prayers when we arrived, and our guide joined the jemaah while we went to the ladies prayer room.  Certain parts of the Madrasa is under conservation work and if you look closely, the building is in need of maintenance. Khalid explained to us that the mosque had gone through a major renovation in the 18th century and was again reconstructed in the 20th century.  Madrasa Bou Inania is an example of the Marinid architecture.  The zellij tiles on the wall of the madrasa is predominantly green, the color associated with the city of Fez. We visited Molay Idris, Qarawiyin and Madrasa Bou Inania completed our mission in Fez. 

All along since the city was founded in 789 by Moulay Idris, Fez has never ceased to be a center of learning. There are other Madrasa in Fez that are worth visiting but due to time constraint, we are not able to do so. Other old Madrasa are the Madrasa of Saffarin, Madrasa of Attarin and the elegant Madrasa of Sharratin. Not far from Madrasa Bou Inania is the house of the famous Tunisian historian, Ibnu Khaldun who used to live in Fez and worked for Abu Inan. Kalid our guide showed us the door of once Ibnu Khaldun's house. Automatically, Al-Muqadimah, the seminal work of Ibnu Khaldun came to mind. It is amazing to be in Fez. It feels like you are walking on the footsteps of great scholars and thinkers of the past.

Every corners of the Madrasa is equally impressive

The door of  once the house of Ibnu Khaldun

The wood engravings are deteriorating

A combination of zellij mosaics and stucco work

Closer view of the wood design

Carving on the wooden Mashrabiya

Pillar of the Madrasa with intricate carvings

The male prayer hall

Zellij work adorns the walls of the Madrasa

This Madrasa gives accessibility to non-Muslims visitors

Entrance to the lady hall