Located in a strategic position, the knot between countries of North Africa and Southern Europe, Fès is an important link in the system of trade between the vast Sahara desert to the south and north Europe. Thus, economies of Fès prosper within two centuries and became the religious center of the arts as well as North Africa.
History of Fès associated with the development history of Islam. When conditions permit, I will write a post explaining generalize the spread of Islam. As interim, let's go back to the seventh century, the origin of the country of Morocco and Fès. That time, a descendant of Mohamed (Mohamed equivalent lord jesus type of Catholicism) escape from the pursuit of Iraq, runs through Egypt and North Africa glassy roamed until arriving in the country Morocco.
10 cities "old" planet
Here, the descendants are the local nomadic tribes and help elect him as the king of Morocco. Fes was born as the first capital of Morocco. Like Vietnam, the imperial dynasties of the Moroccan capital changed several times and Fès is one of the four ancient capital of the ancient king of Morocco in office.
Like many tourists come here, I began exploring the old town Fès, Morocco called the Medina. This area makes me think of the old quarter of Hanoi because there are many similarities. Hanoi has 36 streets, the streets here are small by industry and handicraft products: carpentry, carving on wood, wrought-iron craft, craft engraving on copper, jewelry, silk ... Almost all products are created in the production furnace tiny hin with the old stuff.
Another highlight of Fès that I see, that is the dominant architecture of the Quran schools, Moroccan called Medersa. The structure of the buildings are quite uniform, often have a lobby to make the main slopes and around this hall is enclosed by four surfaces are two-story house.
If Buddhism we have many of the sheep is a Moroccan city also has many mosques. Fès itself formerly the capital of the country's Islamic Morocco and western Africa. Therefore, no surprise that the city has more than 10 churches and most famous mosque Al Qarawiyyin doubles as research universities Islam. This is considered as the oldest Islamic university in the world (built in 857), even before the University of Oxford.
Wrapped around the old town Fès is a wall system and there are about 9 entries. Characteristic of this port is very large in size and are built with clay mixed with straw and brick. The entrance is shaped like horses that stand in the Assembly sinner or criminal court.
At the beginning, the system walled defense function for the old town should be built very solidly. But in the 16th century when the cannon to develop the city as well as with the broader development Fès, walls and gates no longer function on the defensive again. Therefore, the gateway adds architectural motifs more sophisticated, with the aim amplify the strength of Fès art.
Us in this market, we feel lost in a maze of small roads with stalls selling all kinds of groceries. Their structure virtually unchanged since the twelfth century. It was in the souk that I saw something very similar to the old quarter of Hanoi, very crowded trade. Each souk is equivalent to one in 36 of its old town. They El Nejjarine souk that sells furniture, El Attarin sells spices, El Seffarine, specializing in bronze, leather furniture Ain Allou specialized ...
As a system of roads crisscrossed like this maze that visitors are very easy to get lost. But strangely the initiative to get lost is the most rewarding experience when you visit the souk markets. Here, the use of the map there are no benefits at all for the first winding streets is difficult to draw, second street names are written in Arabic. Therefore, the best way is to observe gestures as well as the direction of the east line of people, especially the tourist group.
Indeed, tourists myself what is the same, they will be lost as you. But they sometimes are by tour groups should be assisted by a local guide. At some point, what type they will also go toward the gates of the old town to escape. And when you got rid of the old town, the older things easier for the new roads are as straight boulevards. It is the first approach.
The second method, the guise that I use more, there is a direct line to ask local people. And once in a conversation with someone who sells soap that I had been a memorable experience. In addition to Arabic, Moroccan speak French as their mother tongue as bilingual education right from childhood.
An Asian tourists to Fès and speak French is not routine and of course my presence attracted the attention of most of the locals. I also asked him to sell soap street named Mohamed (this name is common to know they like their home Nguyen). He asked me questions that I had anticipated
I was really surprised to know that there are approximately 6,000 Moroccan soldiers joined the battle in 1954 in the North and some of them have moved troops to support Vietnam Ming army against the French invaders. Shortly after the visit to Morocco, I had to learn further and learned some Moroccan soldiers stayed in Vietnam within a few decades, married Vietnam and they hardly managed to return home, with the help of uncle Ho.
To thank the enthusiastic help of the Vietnamese people, the soldiers were engaged in building up a Moroccan port architecture at Ba Vi, still exist and are covered by moss. The gateway to prove that such friendship of legionnaires Morocco for the kind of Vietnam. Having said that new history of our country are deficient like. A son of the motherland as I had to learn a foreign language history books, written by foreigners to better understand the history of his country
As the stunned to trade, locals distinguish very clearly what are the naive tourists driving prone to offer their nose. And with a bold appearance in Asia as they do, the «invitation» to view it is nothing strange. Knowing that when stepping through the doorway of the store displays carpets, gold and silver, it will be hard to avoid the touts honeyed words.
To manage a more regulated trading system of the souk markets, where they built the fondouks, roughly translated as associations based on a certain profession. The structure of this Fondouk quite uniform, there is a large hall in the middle of the day. Around the corridors with room to make accommodation for merchants and warehouse.
