AI overview
Fez is an ancient city in Morocco known for its historic medina (old walled city), which is one of the largest urban areas in the Arab world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city has been an important center of Islamic learning, culture, and trade for over a thousand years, making it significant to Morocco's cultural and historical identity.
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Place details
- Locality
- Fès ⴼⴰⵙ فاس
- Region
- Fès-Meknès ⴼⴰⵙ-ⵎⴽⵏⴰⵙ فاس-مكناس
- Country
- Maroc ⵍⵎⵖⵔⵉⴱ المغرب
- Population
- 1,191,905
Article
Fez (/fɛz/) or Fes (/fɛs/) is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024 census. Located to the northwest of the Atlas Mountains, it is surrounded by hills and the old city is centered around the Fez River (Oued Fes) flowing from west to east.
Founded under Idrisid rule during the 8th century CE, Fez initially consisted of two autonomous and competing settlements. Successive waves of mainly Arab immigrants from Ifriqiya (Tunisia) and al-Andalus (Spain/Portugal) in the early 9th century gave the nascent city its Arab character. After the downfall of the Idrisid dynasty, other empires came and went until the 11th century when the Almoravid Sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin united the two settlements into what is today's Fes el-Bali (lit. 'Old Fes') quarter, a.k.a. Medina of Fez. Under Almoravid rule, the city gained a reputation for religious scholarship and mercantile activity.