Medina Fez el-Jdid
The Fes el-Jdid Medina is part of the old Medina of Fez and, together with Fes el-Bali, it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. From a planning standpoint, there are not too many differences between the Fes el-Jdid and el-Bali Medinas (link to the corresponding URL): a labyrinth of alleyways and passageways that sometimes open into wide squares used for selling all types of objects and food products.
Nevertheless, the truth is that the Fes el-Jdid Medina is more recent: it began to be erected with the arrival of the Marinid dynasty, around the 13th century, as an extension of the original medina, but without demolishing the walls that delimited it (and still do this). Therefore, this area of Fez completed the area of el-Bali with numerous residential, commercial and monumental elements.
Among the latter, the Royal Palace stands out (link to corresponding URL?), which has been greatly modified over time and was the main seat of civil power in early Morocco. Even today it continues to be the occasional residence of the reigning family. That is why it cannot be visited.
It is estimated that around 100,000 people live in the Fes el-Jdid Medina, which is now much larger than the original one. Nevertheless, this is an approximate number, given the difficulties in counting the residents of so many substandard housing units in the area.
It is divided into three main neighbourhoods: The New Arab Zone, Dar el-Makhzen and the Mellah. This last neighbourhood corresponds to the old Jewish quarter, where many of the practising Jews who were expelled from Spanish territory at the end of the 15th century took refuge.
Today there are only about 200 Jewish families left in Fez and the majority live in Ville Nouvelle, although the Mellah maintains part of its original urban planning, with houses with exterior balconies, a clear commercial nature (the best jewellery stores in the city) and its own historical wall, as a form of protection against potential attacks by the Muslim population.
The Ibn Danam synagogue, built in the 17th century, is located there and can be accessed through a door that looks like any of the neighbourhood houses that surround it. Despite its discretion, it is one of the main Hebrew religious centres in the country.
Very close to the temple and delimiting the Mellah neighbourhood is the Jewish cemetery, with hundreds of tombs and tombstones that attest to the Jews’ major historical presence.
Dar el-Makhzen draws attention because of its size: no less than 80 hectares, which makes this area the largest in the city within the walls. This is the neighbourhood of the Royal Palace and its gardens, located next to a wide esplanade, the Alawites Square, to which the seven main doors of this residence open (one for each day of the week).
Finally, although the New Arab Zone is not as seductive as the neighbouring el-Bali Medina, it is also a commercial district. Nevertheless, in this case it is not characterised by crafts, but by everyday objects, products and food. Despite the labyrinthine layout, the neighbourhood is articulated around a main street, Fes el-Jdid, which gives its name to the medina. The street is dominated by the minaret of the al-Hamra mosque and is home to numerous shops, tea rooms and restaurants.
Nearby plans
Related plans
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