HERITAGE SITE | FES, MOROCCO

• Mystical, magical Fes is regarded by many as the ‘jewel’ of Morocco, the ultimate highlight of the country. It is the oldest of Morocco’s imperial cities and is also home to the oldest and largest medina in North Africa. It served as the country’s capital no fewer than three times throughout its history.

• It was founded in 789 CE by the first sultan of the Idrisid dynasty, Idris bin Abdullah though many of its most famous landmarks date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, when the city reached the height of its influence during the rule of the Marinids.

• It has been home to many learned scholars and skilled artisans throughout its history. During the Reconquista in Spain, many of the Andalusian Muslims who escaped with their lives settled there and brought with them great skills and knowledge. They improved on the Islamic infrastructure and developed to standard of academics to the extent that it became the educational and cultural centre of North Africa during its heyday.

• Today Fes is one of the most authentic cities in Morocco and is still widely viewed as the cultural epicentre of the country. Over 1,200 years old, it is full of palaces, museums, Musjids, fountains, residences, and tiny little alleyways.

• It has been described as a ‘living’ museum with a population of 300 000 still residing within its resilient 16km walls. They scuttle in and out of its narrow 9402 gulleys just as their predecessors did for the past twelve centuries.

• It is also one of the world’s largest urban pedestrian zones, comprising a maze-like tapestry of narrow streets, bustling squares and souks lined with hundreds of tiny shops. The age-old waterways still endure till today and are still used on a daily basis.