The Fez medina and the Chouara tanneries
Founded between 789 and 808 as the Idrisid capital, Fes el Bali is a large car-free area of about 300 hectares, a World Heritage Site since 1981. At its heart, Chouara, the city’s largest tannery, still works leather by hand.
Key facts
Before you go.
- Starting point
- Fes el Bali, the old medina of FezFes el Bali (Wikipedia)
- GPS coordinates
- 34.06609, -4.97098Chouara Tannery (Wikipedia)
Good to know
Three things to remember.
Visit the tanneries early in the morning, before the sun hits the vats and the smell sets in.
Fez (Wikivoyage)If you hire a guide, arrange a licensed one through your hotel or the tourism office.
Fez (Wikivoyage)Signposted trails (green, orange or blue signs) cross the medina so you will not get lost.
Fez (Wikivoyage)
Plan the trip
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Sources · 3 pages consulted, with the exact sentence used
- Fes el Bali (Wikipedia)
Fes el Bali was founded as the capital of the Idrisid dynasty between 789 and 808 AD. […] UNESCO listed Fes el Bali, along with Fes Jdid, as a World Heritage Site in 1981 under the name Medina of Fez. […] Fes el-Bali is also notable for being a large car-free urban area (approximately 300 hectares).
- Chouara Tannery (Wikipedia)
Chouara Tannery […] is one of the three tanneries in the city of Fez, Morocco. It is the largest tannery in the city and one of the oldest. […] The entire leather production process comprises manual labor only and involves no modern machinery. (coordinates 34.06609, -4.97098)
- Fez (Wikivoyage)
If you do decide to hire one, be sure to arrange a licensed guide through your hotel or the tourism office. […] There are several well-marked trails through the city: follow the green (Andalusian palaces and gardens), orange (walls and fortifications), or blue signs and you will not get lost […] Visit early in the morning before the sun hits the tannery and the stench sets in.
Opening hours, prices and access conditions change: check them with the official source before you go. Viafro publishes no price without a source and a date.