Fes el-Bali Medina

Fes el-Bali is the old walled city of Fes in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region, founded in 789 by Idris I and made the capital of the Idrisid state by his son Idris II in about 808. Two settlements grew on opposite banks of the Oued Fes: the Andalusian quarter, settled by refugees from Cordoba around 818, and the Qarawiyyin quarter, settled by families from Kairouan. They were later unified within a single wall. The medina became a leading centre of religion, commerce and learning, with the Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University founded in 859, and it reached its height under the Merenids from the 13th to the 15th century, who built the madrasas that still stand. UNESCO inscribed Fes el-Bali as a World Heritage Site in 1981. It contains an estimated 9,000 lanes and alleys and is among the largest car-free urban areas in the world, where goods are carried by hand, donkey and mule. Key landmarks include the Bab Bou Jeloud gate, the Bou Inania and Al-Attarine madrasas, the Zaouia of Moulay Idriss II, the Nejjarine fondouk, the Chouara tanneries, and the dyers' and coppersmiths' souks. The main arteries, Talaa Kebira and Talaa Sghira, run downhill from the western gate toward the Qarawiyyin quarter. Craft traditions of leatherwork, brass, ceramics and weaving continue in workshops, and the street layout, courtyard houses and fountains reflect medieval urban design. Conservation work, including restoration of walls, fountains and houses, has been carried out by Moroccan authorities and international partners, though some buildings remain at risk. Visitors can walk in via several gates; the layout is confusing, and many hire local guides. A full exploration takes at least a day, and the medina is both a living neighbourhood and an open-air museum.