Fes: The True Story of Morocco’s Spiritual Capital

Discovering Fes: The Beating Heart of Morocco’s History

Fes (or Fez), Morocco’s spiritual and cultural capital, is not just a city—it’s a living museum. With over 1,200 years of continuous history, this labyrinthine city is where the past breathes through narrow alleyways, intricate tilework, and the echoes of Quranic recitations in ancient madrasas. To walk through Fes is to trace the rise and evolution of Moroccan identity.

The Founding of Fes: A Tale of Two Banks

Fes was founded in 789 CE by Idris I, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, who fled the Abbasid dynasty in the Middle East. He chose the fertile banks of the Fes River (Oued Fès) to establish a city that would serve as a refuge and a center of power for his new dynasty.

A few decades later, his son Idris II expanded the city and made it his capital. What’s fascinating is that Fes began as two distinct communities on either side of the river: one populated by Arab immigrants from Kairouan (modern-day Tunisia) and the other by Andalusian refugees expelled from Cordoba. This early multicultural fusion deeply shaped the city’s identity, blending Arab, Amazigh, Andalusi, and Jewish influences.

Golden Age: Center of Faith, Knowledge, and Trade

During the 11th to 14th centuries, especially under the Almoravid and later Marinid dynasties, Fes became the beating heart of the Islamic world in North Africa. It was home to:

• Al-Qarawiyyin University, founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri, considered by UNESCO and many historians as the oldest existing and continually operating university in the world.

• Dozens of madrasas, such as the Bou Inania Madrasa, which combined spiritual and academic life with stunning architecture.

• Bustling souks that made Fes a major hub in trans-Saharan and Mediterranean trade.

Spiritual and Cultural Jewel

Known as the “Mecca of the West” and “Athens of Africa,” Fes has long been a magnet for scholars, artisans, and Sufi mystics. Its spiritual aura is palpable in its ziyarat (pilgrimages) to shrines of saints like Moulay Idriss II, and in the reverent silence of its mosques.

The city's medina, Fes el-Bali, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with over 9,000 alleys making it the largest car-free urban area in the world. Leather tanneries, brass workshops, woodcarvers, and weavers continue centuries-old traditions, offering a timeless glimpse into Moroccan heritage.

From Decline to Colonial Intrusion

Fes saw periods of decline due to political unrest, natural disasters, and shifting trade routes. In 1912, the French protectorate was established in Morocco, and the capital was moved to Rabat. Though Fes lost its political primacy, it retained its spiritual soul—and resisted colonial influence more than most cities.

Fes Today: A City Reawakening

Modern Fes is experiencing a cultural and economic revival. Restoration projects in the medina, growing tourism, and interest in traditional crafts have brought fresh life into its historic streets. While still rooted in the past, Fes is asserting itself as a destination where authentic Morocco is not a show—it’s real life.