The Maze City: Medina of Fez: UNESCO Culture Sector

Construction began at the end of the 8^th century. Mosques were built in the centre, and shops and houses were built as close as possible. The tangled narrow streets make up the world’s most complicated labyrinth city. It is almost impossible for newcomers to find their way.

There are bicycles but there are no cars. People rely on donkeys to carry goods. Women in Muslim society have kept to the tradition of not revealing their faces to men other than their family members. There is a tradition of sitting by a rawashin window. The women used to watch the outside world through its holes.

The doors in the medina were built in alternate positions because the alleys are so narrow. Though the alleyways are dark, the houses inside are bright and open. A patio allows fresh air and light to stream in, while the high walls block the sun’s rays. A central aspect of Islamic architecture. The medina’s rooftops include a series of open air spaces leading to a patio below.

People living in the Old City of Fez are said to spend their life within the city walls without ever going outside. The spirit and tradition of medieval Islamic society lives on, here, in Fez.