Medina of Fez, Medieval walled city in Fez, Morocco.
The Medina of Fez is a walled city with thousands of connected alleyways, traditional houses, markets, and religious buildings packed closely together. The layout appears confusing at first because the streets wind and overlap without a clear grid pattern, creating a dense maze.
This city was founded in the 9th century and became influential under the Marinid dynasty in the 13th century. Later it declined as political power shifted elsewhere, but its physical layout remained largely unchanged through the centuries.
The Medina functions as a living community where shopkeepers, craftspeople, and families go about their daily routines in homes and shops that line the narrow streets. This ongoing activity shapes the rhythm of the place and reflects how generations have occupied these same spaces.
It is easy to get lost in the alleys, so a local guide or map helps a lot. Wear comfortable shoes because the pathways are uneven and sometimes very narrow.
The tannery quarter uses clay and lime dye pits where workers treat leather by hand exactly as they have for a thousand years. This method is slow and strenuous, but many craftspeople keep doing it because they understand they are preserving knowledge that exists nowhere else.
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