Built between 1323 and 1325 by the Marinid sultan Abu Sa'id Uthman II, the Al-Attarine Madrasa is one of the finest small monuments in the whole of Fes. It takes its name from the Souk al-Attarine, the spice and perfume market at whose edge it stands, a few steps from the Qarawiyyin mosque. Once a residential college for students of the university nearby, it is compact — a single courtyard barely a few metres across — yet almost every surface is worked.
Highlights
- Intricate polychrome zellij tilework across the courtyard walls and floor
- Deeply carved cedar screens and lintels above the mosaic dado
- Bands of carved stucco with Kufic and cursive Arabic inscriptions
- A central marble ablutions basin beneath an open light-well
- Its setting at the edge of the Souk al-Attarine spice market
- Modest entry fee of around 20 MAD
Best Time to Visit
Soon after opening in the morning, when low light rakes across the courtyard tilework and the tiny space is quiet enough to photograph.