This medina is exceptional, I’m talking of course about the medina of Fez in the North of Morocco. When you arrive in Fez for the first time, having just set foot on Moroccan soil via the airport, you’ll take one of the roads that skirt around this fabulous medina. A first breathtaking view will make you say: « How is this possible? », thousands of houses, dars, riads, packed together, intertwined, stacked on top of one another, creating a visual impression unique in the world.
Fez El Bali in a few figures
The medina of Fez dates back more than 1100 years, representing centuries of history right there, in the North of Morocco, along the banks of the Fez river, with nearly 250 hectares of surface area. The imperial city is built in the shape of a basin, with the river running at its feet, feeding part of the medina and its activity. This bowl-like shape, like a tajine dish, allows visitors from outside to look down over this medina, which lives to the rhythm of prayers and rays of sunshine.
Fez is the largest car-free medina in the world, which makes it pleasant for walking around, although you may occasionally encounter a few scooters, donkeys and carts that create a fleeting traffic jam, but that’s exactly what you’re looking for when strolling through these narrow, lively and bustling commercial streets.
Walking through the medina of Fez: pure happiness!
In total, official figures put the number of alleyways at nearly 9,500, which gives you an idea that drawing up maps is no small task. Without having been built to an original master plan, the result is impressive and truly labyrinthine. A strong sense of direction and a good memory for faces, shops and architectural details are essential for the greatest adventurers to get around completely on their own.
The number of minarets watching over the inhabitants and the medina is exactly 364, offering a magnificent concert during the calls to prayer, where for a few minutes, one lets oneself be lulled by these calls to prayer.
One of the most famous squares in the medina remains Boujloud Square, also known for its blue gate, which comes alive during festivities such as the Sacred Music Festival.
