Rabat - After King Mohamed VI announced a Fez restoration initiative in 2013, the Agency for Development and Rehabilitation of the city (ADER) has succeeded in renovating many monuments and streets.
Rabat – After King Mohamed VI announced a Fez restoration initiative in 2013, the Agency for Development and Rehabilitation of the city (ADER) has succeeded in renovating many monuments and streets.
Fez, ranked one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, is home to numerous monuments, tanneries, and madrasas erected during the Marinid dynasty in the 13th and 14th centuries.
The initiative, which cost 645 million dirham, aims to restore the city’s historical monuments and iconic locations over a period of five years. The program consists of renovating and restoring various historical sites and 4000 ancient buildings on the verge of collapse.
Monuments renovated
According to a report by the ADER, 26 monuments were restored, including the famous Madrasas Sbaiyine and Sahrij, Mesbahia and Mohammadia and the historical bridges Khrachfiyine and Terrafine.
The dyer’s souk, the ex-Bank Al-Maghrib agency, the Quaraouiyine library and the Sidi Hrazem shrine were also renovated as part of the restoration program.
In addition, ADER renovated monuments dating all the way back to the 9th century Idrisid dynasty, and others erected during the Saadi dynasty in the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Kissariat Alkifah, which dates back to the Idrisid dynasty, will be renovated by the end of the year. This kissarit (a traditional shopping mall in Morocco) is home to 500 shops selling a variety of artisan crafts and is located near the Moulay Idriss mausoleum and the Qarawiyine university.