Fès
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Fes فاس Fès / Fas / ⴼⴰⵙ |
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View of the medina (old city) of Fez
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 Fes
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| Coordinates: 34°2′N 5°0′W / 34.033°N 5.000°WCoordinates: 34°2′N 5°0′W / 34.033°N 5.000°W | |
| Country |
 Morocco
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| Region | Fès-Meknès |
| Founded | 789 |
| Founded by | Idrisid dynasty |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Idriss Azami Al Idrissi |
| • Governor | Said Zniber |
| Area | |
| • Urban | 120 sq mi (320 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,350 ft (410 m) |
| Population (2014) | |
| • City | 1,112,072 |
| • Rank | 2nd in Morocco |
| Racial makeup | |
| • Arabs | 53.6% |
| • Berbers | 32.7% |
| • Moriscos | 10.2% |
| • Others | 3.5% |
| Website | www.fes-city.com |
| Medina of Fez | |
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| Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List | |
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| Location | Morocco |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv |
| Reference | 170 |
| UNESCO region | Arab States |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 1981 (5th Session) |
Fez (Arabic: فاس Fas, Berber: ⴼⴰⵙ Fas, French: Fès) is the second largest city of Morocco, with a population of 1.1 million (2014).
Fez was the capital city of modern Morocco until 1925 and is now the capital of the Fès-Meknès administrative region. The city has two old medina quarters, the larger of which is Fes el Bali. It is listed as a World Heritage Site and is believed to be one of the world's largest urban pedestrian zones (car-free areas).University of Al Quaraouiyine, founded in 859, is the oldest continuously functioning university in the world. The city has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa".
The Arabic word فأس Faʾs means pickaxe, which legends say Idris I of Morocco used when he created the lines of the city. One noticeable thing was that the pickaxe was made from silver and gold.
During the rule of the Idrisid dynasty, Fez consisted of two cities: Fas Elbali, founded by Idris I, and al-ʿĀliyá, founded by his son, Idris II. During Idrisid rule the capital city was known as al-ʿĀliyá, with the name Fas being reserved for the separate site on the other side of the river; no Idrisid coins have been found with the name Fez, only al-ʿĀliyá and al-ʿĀliyá Madinat Idris. It is not known whether the name al-ʿĀliyá ever referred to both urban areas. It wasn't until 1070 that the two agglomerations were united and the name Fas was used for the combined site.
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Wikipedia