Architecture of Fez
[5][3] The earliest surviving Islamic-era monuments in Fez, the al-Qarawiyyin and Andalusi mosques, were built in the hypostyle form and made early use of the horseshoe or "Moorish" arch.
[3][12][4] The Almoravid-Almohad period is considered one of the most formative stages of Moroccan and Moorish architecture, establishing many of the forms and motifs that were refined in subsequent centuries.
[9][14][11][15] The Almoravids adopted the architectural developments of al-Andalus, such as the complex interlacing arches of the Great Mosque in Cordoba and of the Aljaferia palace in Zaragoza, while also introducing new ornamental techniques from the east such as muqarnas ("stalactite" or "honeycomb" carvings).
The minaret of the Kasbah Mosque of Marrakech was particularly influential and set a style that was repeated, with minor elaborations, in the following Marinid period.
The Saadians, who used Marrakesh again as their capital, did not lavish much attention on Fes, with the exception of the ornate ablutions pavilions added to the Qarawiyyin Mosque's courtyard during their time.
[5] Under the Protectorate administration, French resident general Hubert Lyautey appointed Henri Prost to oversee the urban development of cities.
[30] In turn, French architects constructed buildings in the new cities that conformed to modern European functions and layouts but whose appearance was heavily blended with local Moroccan decorative motifs, resulting in a Mauresque[31] or Neo-Moorish-style architecture.
In some cases, the French also inserted Moroccan-looking structures in the fabric of the old cities, such as the Bab Bou Jeloud gate in Fes (completed in 1913[4]) and the nearby Collège Moulay Idris (opened in 1918).
[32]: 172 Lyautey and the French authorities in Morocco were reticent to allow conspicuous orientalist constructions and pastiches of local Moroccan architecture.
[32]: 173–174 The first post office building, built in 1925 by architect Edmond Pauty, included local geometric motifs in its decorative details.
[32]: 183 The Ville Nouvelle of Fez developed more slowly than other major cities under French rule and a very large proportion its buildings from the pre-independence period (i.e. before 1956) were constructed between 1925 and 1935.
[32]: 187–192 Today, the Medina of Fez has conserved the original functions and architecture of its urban space, leading to its inscription on the World Heritage List in 1981.
[9][20][35][22] It blended influences from Berber culture in North Africa, pre-Islamic Spain (Roman, Byzantine, and Visigothic), and contemporary artistic currents in the Islamic Middle East to elaborate a unique style over centuries with recognizable features such as the "Moorish" arch, riad gardens, hypostyle mosques with square-shafted minarets, muqarnas sculpting, and a mix of elaborate geometric, arabesque, and calligraphic motifs in wood, stucco, and tilework (notably zellij).
[46][9] The Bab Guissa Mosque also originally dates from the reign of Marinid sultan Abu al-Hasan (1331-1351) but has been more heavily modified in later centuries.
[4][51][52] Synagogues had a very different layout from mosques but often shared similar decorative trends as the rest of Moroccan architecture, such as colourful tilework and carved stucco.
They used this patronage to encourage the loyalty of the country's influential but independent religious elites and also to portray themselves to the general population as protectors and promoters of orthodox Sunni Islam.
Madrasas played a supporting role to this major institution, in part because, unlike the mosque, they provided accommodations for students who came from outside the city.
[3] One of the most famous is the Funduq al-Najjarin, which was built in the 18th century by Amin Adiyil to provide accommodation and storage for merchants and which now houses the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts.
[3][22][59][60] Fez is also notable for having preserved a great many of its historic hammams (public bathhouses in the Muslim world), thanks in part to their continued usage by locals up to the present day.
[65][62][63] They were generally built next to a well or natural spring which provided water, while the sloping topography of the city allowed for easy drainage.
It also mentions that the fountain's construction was supervised by the sultan's vizier, Abu Zakariya Yahya ibn Ziyan al-Wattasi (who founded the subsequent Wattasid dynasty).
[66] The inscription and the small marble panel ornaments are from the original Marinid construction, while the wooden canopy above dates from the 17th century restoration.
[72] Historically, the term referred to a common but specific type of interior garden: one that is symmetrically divided into four parts along its central axes and typically has a fountain at its middle.
A large area of Fes el-Jdid is taken up by the 80-hectare Royal Palace, or Dar al-Makhzen, whose new ornate gates (built in 1969–71) are renowned but whose grounds are not open to the public as they are still used by the King of Morocco when visiting the city.
[18] The entire medina of Fez was heavily fortified with crenelated walls with watchtowers and gates, a pattern of urban planning which can be seen in Salé and Chellah as well.
[83] Among the most prominent among them is the Kasbah An-Nouar, located at the western or north-western tip of Fes el-Bali, which dates back to the Almohad era but was restored and repurposed under the Alawis.
[3] The Bin el-Moudoun Bridge, believed to date from the time of Emir Dunas ibn Hamama, was considered one of the most picturesque, being located amidst a stretch of rocky rapids.
[86][87] The Terrafin bridge, originally named Qantrat Bab al-Silsila and now found on the northern edge of Place R'cif, is also believed to date initially from Emir Dunas in the 11th century.
[12][3] The environment of Fez was gifted with plentiful water from an array of small rivers and streams that feed the Oued Fes and flow through the old city.
[3][12] Mosques: Synagogues: Madrasas: Zawiyas and mausoleums: Funduqs (caravanserais): Tanneries: Hammams (bathhouses): Walls: Forts: City gates: The Adjustments of Original Institutions of the Higher Learning: the Madrasah.
