FES
Islamic Architecture in Fes
Except for the gorgeous wooden doors, there is hardly any notable external architectural features of the buildings in Fes. The streets are narrow and the walls (plain, almost always beige in color and without windows) go straight up. The insides of the buildings, however, are stunningly gorgeous. I read an article that said this is a common architectural feature in Morocco and reflects the Islamic value of modesty, the belief that beauty lies within. The riad (traditional Moroccoan houses with a courtyard) I booked in Fes, called Riad Zamane, embodied this ideal. Deceptively simple from the outside, it was magnificent from the first step inside its premises. The manager, Tahir told us that the building was 240 years old and belonged to just one family until the current owner’s “French lady” bought the place and restored it to make it into a riad.
The Fes El Medina: The Old City of Fes
While Marrakech is considered the main tourist city, Fes sets Morocco's cultural and intellectual heartbeat. It has best been able to strike harmony between its old heritage and modernity. The Souk and the residences of the Medina are all located in a seemingly chaotic labyrinth of narrow alleyways. I soon became convinced that one could find almost anything in the Medina. Think Hogwart's Room of Requirements, but instead of a room, it's a small city!
