Fez, Morocco
Moroccan cultural heritage site
The Al-Attarine Madrasa, in the heart of Fes el-Bali a few steps from the Qarawiyyin Mosque, was built by the Marinid sultan Uthman II Abu Said between 1323 and 1325 and named after the neighbouring Souk al-Attarine, the spice and perfume market. Historians rank it among the finest achievements of Marinid architecture for the richness and harmony of its decoration and its clever use of a tight plot in the crowded medina. A marble fountain sits in the middle of an open courtyard framed by galleries on slender columns, leading to a small square prayer hall. The courtyard walls bring every Moroccan decorative technique together: zellij tilework in fine geometric patterns at the base, carved stucco with Arabic calligraphy and plant motifs above, and carved Atlas cedar at the top, with marble column capitals. Upstairs are the small rooms once home to students who came to study at the Qarawiyyin; from the windows you see the rooftops of Fez, sometimes with a glimpse into the Qarawiyyin courtyard next door.
It is small and seen in half an hour, but rewards slow looking. Go in the morning before the groups. Climb upstairs if it is open for the rooftop view. It is on the Souk al-Attarine route, so fold it into a loop around the Qarawiyyin, Seffarine Square and the tanneries.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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MosqueFez, Morocco
