History of Fez

The city of Morocco was founded in 789 BC by Idriss II. From then the city was inhabited mostly by the Muslims. In 810 BC the Kairouyine mosque was built and till today it remains the largest and also the oldest of mosques in Africa.

Fez was believed to be the largest city from 1170 to 1180 in the world. It was also the nerve center of the Kingdom of Fez. It was the religious and the scientific center where Christians and Muslims from all over Europe came to study. After the reconquest of Spain in the year 1942 there was an exodus of Muslims and it is from then on that their numbers increased.

It was in 1548 that Fez became a part if the Moroccan empire and 1579 marked the completion of the conquests in Morocco that was started by Suleyman the Magnificent. During the time of the Alaouite Dynasty in 1649 Fez became a major trading zone of the Barbary Coast.

Fez had also been the capital of Morocco during different times but this ended in 1912 when the major portion of Morocco came under the influence of the French and Rabat was the choice for becoming the capital of the new colonial empire.

Fez has a very traditional character but there is a modern section as well or the "New City". This has emerged as a bustling trading center. With all these aspects Fez is one of the most picturesque of all the Imperial cities of Morocco.