Fez: The Diadem of the West By Hamid Mernissi, Founder of Sarah Tours, Inc.
The City That Rebirths You What can one say about Fez that historians, poets, and travelers haven’t already told? Yet, as a humble son of Fez, I will add this:
you enter Fez as a wanderer, and you leave it reborn. Fez is not only the spiritual heart of Morocco, but it is also a living memory of the Arab-Andalusian world, and a city that has given the West its refinement and taste for beauty. If Baghdad was the jewel of the East, Fez was the diadem of the West. Through centuries, Fez has remained what Al-Bekri described in the 10th century: “Beyond every house, a garden of fruits, with brooks and streams flowing through it.” Abdelwahed Al-Marrakchi later wrote: “The heartbeat of the nation, the essence of civility, and the fountain of learning is none other than Fez.” And indeed, Fez still holds that rhythm of intellect, elegance, and grace.
A Self-Sufficient Metropolis of Water and Gardens Fez was once described by Yaqut al-Hamawi as “a city of spring sources pouring into its river, dividing into eight channels that turn six hundred mills day and night.” This ancient hydraulic genius made Fez self-sufficient; its water, fruit, craftsmanship, and spirit nourished both the Mediterranean and the Sahel.
Every home had running water; every house was its own oasis. Even today, when you walk through the labyrinth of the Medina, you can still hear the murmur of fountains behind the thick walls, the whisper of centuries that never stopped flowing. An old saying endures: “If Fez were to shed its walls, the angels of beauty themselves would be revealed.” ** Beauty, Privacy, and the Soul of Moorish Art** But even angels are bound by their gardens for roses plucked from Fez soon perish. The feminine beauty of Fez is beyond the painter’s brush, a poetry of grace and mystery. Women of Fez, hidden within the privacy of their homes, possess a charm born of refinement and reserve. Their silence, their presence, and their elegance make them treasures fit for kings.
In Fez, privacy is not isolation; it is dignity. Houses are built side by side, yet each world is enclosed. Every window opens inward to a patio, a fountain, and a small green heart of serenity. Light enters from above, filtered through cedar mashrabiya screens, creating a sacred dance of shade and reflection. Your rooftop is your suspended garden, your patio, a fountain of dreams.
When the French arrived, they brought their modern townhouses, with windows that opened onto the streets. When you opened them, you were sitting on the roadside. By closing them, you were in the dark, apartment buildings unconditioned to the environment and climate, where people are stuck in cages like sardines. They called it progress, but we called it exposure. The Moorish style was created for Fez, and Fez is the womb that gave birth to Moorish art itself.
From the courtyards of Fez were born the palaces of Andalusia, the Alhambra’s arches, Cordoba’s courtyards, and Granada’s fountains, all trace their soul back to this Moroccan city. Fez, the town between two small mountains, Zalagh and Louizates, or two big hills, those of the Merinides and M’Sallah. A town in the Valley of Water, like its twin, Granada.
Why Travelers Fall in Love with Fez Fez is not merely a destination; it is a civilization that breathes. Its narrow alleys pulse with history; its artisans still shape brass and leather as their ancestors did; its mosques and madrasas still echo with the call of learning and devotion. To walk in Fez is to walk inside a living poem, where faith, art, and humanity still coexist in harmony.
** And as I, a child of Fez, can say with certainty:** When you enter Fez, you come as a visitor; when you leave, you are reborn. Plan Your Journey with Sarah Tours Experience Fez not as a tourist, but as an initiate.
At Sarah Tours, we craft private cultural and heritage tours that open the true doors of Fez, its artisans’ workshops, its Sufi lodges, its Andalusian gardens, and its hidden courtyards. Let us guide you through the city that never lost its soul.
👉 Discover Fez with Sarah Tours — Your Gateway to the Sahara and Beyond.
