Fez, a historic city from the 8th century, holds at the heart of its old Medina a labyrinth of cobbled streets and traditional houses which are home to architectural gems of breathtaking beauty. However, what makes from the city even more special are its Madrasas (Quranic schools) which played an instrumental role in spreading knowledge through the centuries.
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city of Fez is home to eleven of these educational establishments, silent witnesses to a rich intellectual and cultural past.
From the 13th century onwards, Fez became a hub of knowledge, attracting renowned scholars and thinkers such as Ibn Khaldun, Pope Sylvester II, and Jewish philosopher Maimonides.
Among the most famous Madrasas are Al Bou Inaniya, Al Sabaiyn, Al Misbahiya, Sahrij, Al Mohammadia and Seffarine, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries.
The Fez Development and Rehabilitation Agency has restored these old schools and taken them back to their former splendor, as they are once again welcoming students eager for knowledge.
The harmonious lines and rich decorations of these structures bear witness to the artistic apogee reached by Morocco at the time, rivaling the achievements of the Mashreq and Al Andalusian regions.
The arrangement of rooms around a central courtyard, typical of Madrasa architecture, combines aesthetics and functionality, providing students with a setting conducive to the study of the fundamentals of religion, while offering them comfortable accommodation.
Professor of History and President of the Association of Sociological Professors of Fez, Abdelfettah Dobli Bennani, conveyed to news agency MAP that Madrasas played a key role during the reign of the Marinids, a period of prosperity during which more than thirty-five of these educational establishments were built, including ten in the city of Fez alone.
The blossoming of Madrasas in Fez is no coincidence, as the Idrisid city is home to the prestigious Al Quaraouiyine University, a veritable beacon of knowledge attracting students from all horizons.
Faced with this influx of students, the construction of new schools became essential to meet the need for classrooms and student accommodation, making these Madrasas the very first “university residences” in history.
However, beyond this primary educational vocation, the Madrasas also played a key role within the Merinid state, serving as think tanks on legal and religious issues, while training the future administrative and religious cadres necessitated by the reigning dynasty.
Today, these venerable Madrasas have stood the test of time with remarkable resilience, blending harmoniously into the heritage fabric of the Fez Old Medina.
They are a major attraction for tourists in search of authenticity and beauty, but also a living link to a rich intellectual and cultural past. Thanks to preservation and enhancement efforts, these architectural gems will continue to shine as eternal witnesses to the Idrissid city’s rich scientific and artistic heritage.