The History of Fez

(The Old Medina Of Fez)

It is generally believed that Fez was founded the 4th January 808 on the right bank of a river known by two names “Oued Fez” or “Oued el Jawahir” by Moulay Idriss the second, who succeeded his father Moulay Idriss the first; the descendant of the prophet Mohammed and the founder of the Idrissid dynasty in Morocco after his escape from the abbasyine pursuit in the orient in 788.

After one year of founding Al Andalus bank “Adwat Al Andalus” on the right side of Oued Fez, in order to host the waves of Arab families coming from Andalucia, Moulay Idriss the second founded on the left bank of the same river Al Qarawiyine bank “Adwat Al Qarawiyine” to host a huge number of kairouanese families coming from Tunisia. These twin and walled cities formed what is called Fez El Bali (The ancient Fez).

With the domination of the Almoravid dynasty on Fez in 1075, thanks to Youssef Ibn Tachefine, he dismantled the divisive walls of the twin cities and unified them by erecting a single circuit, and some bastions in order to surround the two banks, because they did from Fez a military base, from which they initiated a lot of attacks on the north of Morocco, the central Morocco and even on Andalucia when they were asked to support the Muslims against the Christian attacks to recuperate Andalucia; so that Fez known a union and economic and religious motives for future expansion.

In 1145, and after a long siege of seven months, the Almohads seized control of Fez and used it as a military base, whereas Marrakech as the capital of their dynasty, this does not mean that Fez was brushed aside, as it had known under the role of the Almoravid and the Almohad dynasties an urban development, economic growth and a valuable artistic expertise, and thanks to these two dynasties the city known its Andalusian attribute.

In 1274, the Merinids conquered Fez thanks to their leader Yaacoub Ibn Al Marini who did choose Fez as a capital of his dynasty so he gave the order to construct the New Fez “Fez El Jdid” in 1276, where there have been the Merinid court, palace and headquarters…etc.

In 1554, came the reign of the Saadian Dynasty that its kings used Fes as a resort in which they resided for long periods to have rest and relaxation, so they took care of its architecture and build beautiful palaces…and they devoted themselves too to the fortification of Fez by erecting fortresses and towers like the northern tower “Borj Nord” and the southern tower “Borj Sud”, and Tamdart fortress to protect Fez from possible incursions.

In 1666, Moulay Rachid; the first king of the Alaouite dynasty; entered Fes and worked hard to enrich its military architecture, to build cultural facilities and to restore buildings.

In 1912, the French protectorate was established, so the French built the third part of the city under the name of Dar Dbibgh which is an ordered new town of regular avenues to house the European population in comfort and safey.

In 1950, the French protectorate built also the the fourth part of the city called Ain Haroun in order to be a model of residence that should be spread in all the city.