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63-541: The gate's original name was as Bab es-Sebaa ("Gate of the Lion"), probably in reference to a carved image or motif of a lion that has since disappeared. Originally, the name "Bab Dekkakin" was actually the name of what is now the gate to the Royal Palace itself, which was formerly the main entrance to the city (originally called Bab el-Oued or Bab el-Qantara ) before the palace expanded to this point. Only later did

126-465: A bent entrance (forcing attackers to turn multiple corners when passing through it). Flanked by two pairs of tall square towers, some scholars believe that the outer towers, higher than the inner ones, were added to the gate in 1286 during the construction of the aqueduct that supplied water to the Marinid royal gardens to the north of the city. The towers may have been intended partly to protect both

189-434: A civilization encompassing philosophy, art, urbanism, architecture, and humanism. Furthermore, the festival seeks to foster dialogue between Western and North African scholars, artists, and writers on diverse topics related to the intersection of spirituality, society, and artistic expression and to promote better understanding between cultures and faiths through exposure to sacred music. The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music

252-650: A vast pleasure garden outside the palace, perhaps in emulation of those he might have admired in Granada (such as the Generalife ); however, he died in 1286 before this could be accomplished. His son and successor, Abu Ya'qub Yusuf , carried out the work instead in 1287, creating the vast Mosara Garden to the north of Fes el-Jdid. This garden was supplied with water from the Oued Fes via an aqueduct fed by an enormous noria (waterwheel) near Bab Dekkakin . Both

315-434: Is adjoined to the north side of this courtyard, just outside the royal palace grounds. Traditionally, the sultan was able to travel directly between the mosque and the palace via a connecting passage. To the west and south of these mechouars was the area which was historically the private residence of the sultan. It consists of a number of patio courtyards, inner gardens, residential pavilions, and other structures. One of

378-471: Is an annual music festival that is held for a week in Fez, Morocco . It was first held in 1994 and usually held over 10 days in early June. The festival includes concerts, debates, and joint performances of Muslim and Christian devotional music from artists from all over the world. According to Fawzi Sakkali, the former president of the festival, the goal of the event is to highlight Islam's multifaceted nature as

441-407: Is in turn surrounded by a rectangular frame consisting of a band or frieze carved into a darj wa ktaf motif (a Moroccan motif roughly resembling a repeating palmette or fleur-de-lys ). Above the central archway is a panel of tiles featuring an elaborate Arabic inscription. The two lateral archways on the gate's inner facade are decorated with a simple semi-circular molding like the one around

504-434: Is made of masonry stone and brick and set between two pairs of massive square towers that are indicative of Marinid military architecture. The interior passage of the gate is composed of several horseshoe arch ways arranged at the thresholds of three sequential chambers. The middle chamber is open to the sky above; a defensive feature from the original gate which allowed defenders to shoot or drop projectiles on attackers inside

567-670: Is now known as the New Mechouar on the north side Bab Dekkakin and of the Old Mechouar. Next to this he also built the Dar al-Makina factory on the west side of the new square in 1886. Lastly, Moulay Hassan also connected Fes el-Jdid and Fes el-Bali (the old city) for the first time with a large corridor of walls. Inside this space he commissioned a number of royal gardens (such as Jnan Sbil ) and summer palaces (such as Dar Batha ), which were separate but associated or connected with

630-414: Is paved with marble and lined with arcades. Historically it housed a number of public and administrative functions like the mahkama (courthouse). On the southeast side of the courtyard is a mosque which is in fact the former Marinid Madrasa of Fes el-Jdid, modified and provided with a minaret when Moulay Hassan created this mechouar. The Grand Mosque of Fes el-Jdid, to which it was originally associated,

693-416: Is still used as a toponym for the area. Bab Dekkakin itself was restored and modified in 1884, in the reign of Sultan Moulay Hassan. In particular, the gate's central arch was opened up to provide a straight or direct passage across it instead of the original bent entrance, in order to facilitate circulation (similar to what was later done to Bab Semmarine too). In or after 1912, another passage or archway

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756-596: Is suspected that the Chinese Embassy in Morocco may have intervened with the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prevent Namling from obtaining a visa. Over the years, the festival has showcased artists such as Patti Smith , Kadim Al-Sahir , Youssou N'Dour , Sami Yusuf , Salif Keita , Ravi Shankar , Miriam Makeba , Björk and Joan Baez . This music festival-related article

819-630: The Alaouite Sultan Moulay Muhammad ibn Abdallah (Mohammed III) during his reign (1757-1790) or by the later Alaouite sultan Moulay Hassan (ruled 1873-1894) who is credited with expanding the palace to its current size. On the western side of New Mechouar square is a gateway in the Italianate architectural style which belongs to the Makina ( Dar al-Makina) , a former arms factory established by Moulay Hassan in 1886 with

882-568: The military engineers corps under Sultan Moulay Abd al-Rahman (ruled 1822–1859). The creation of the mechouar required a minor diversion of the Oued Fes river at the time. Bab Bou Jat, the main western gate of the Moulday Abdallah quarter, once opened through here but was closed off in the 20th century. On the south side of the square is a menzeh , an elevated pavilion from which the sultan could observe ceremonies taking place in

945-460: The 19th century on the site of the former "Agdal" gardens of the Marinid period. On the northeastern side of the gardens, next to the mosque, is another large courtyard and a palace pavilion at its northwestern end which were created by Moulay Abdelaziz (1894–1908). Near the eastern corner of the gardens, on the south side of the mosque, is a large square courtyard which was once the menagerie of

1008-605: The Bab Bou Jat Mechouar or Grand Mechouar was created to the west of the Moulay Abdallah quarter, providing the palace grounds with another ceremonial entrance to the northwest. Moulay Abd al-Rahman also revived the gardens of the palace to the west, up to the old western Marinid walls of the city, by creating the Lalla Mina or Lalla Amina Gardens (on the site of earlier Marinid-era gardens) and building

1071-562: The Bab Bou Jat Mechouar, which was created by Sultan Moulay Abd ar-Rahman and further developed by Sultan Moulay Hassan. Further southwest from these central structures is a large park or garden known as the Lalla Mina Gardens. The gardens, along with the Lalla Mina Mosque near its northeastern corner (not far from the present-day palace gates and marked with a minaret), were created by Sultan Moulay Abd ar-Rahman in

1134-658: The Dar al-Makhzen grounds up to the edge of the Lalla ez-Zhar Mosque , which had previously stood in the middle of a residential neighbourhood, and cutting off one of the local streets. This was one of several occasions where the expansion of the palace cut into the general residential areas of Fes el-Jdid. Moulay Rashid also built the vast Kasbah Cherarda north of Fes el-Jdid in order to house his tribal troops. The housing of troops here also liberated new space in Fes el-Jdid itself, including

1197-426: The Marinid gardens) also lends its name to the area. Also known as the "Grand Mechouar", this vast irregular quadrilateral space of 4 hectares occupied the northwestern corner of Fes el Jdid in an angle between the walls of the palace grounds to the south and the Moulay Abdallah district to the east. The military square was laid out in the mid-19th century by Abd al-Rahman de Saulty, a Muslim convert and officer in

1260-438: The Old Mechouar, thus turning the latter into the main entrance of the palace instead of the main entrance of the city. This forced the diversion of the northern end of Fes el-Jdid's main street so that it now enters the Old Mechouar from the side. The new expansion included a vast rectangular courtyard to serve as an "inner mechouar", followed by several other courtyards extending up to the Old Mechouar's gate. This inner mechouar

1323-457: The Old Mechouar. However, other studies and later authors attribute this arrangement to Moulay Hassan I 's reign a century later (see below). Mohammed ben Abdallah also built the Dar Ayad al-Kebira , one of the more imposing structures inside the palace grounds. Major expansions and modifications continued throughout the 19th century. Under sultan Moulay Abd al-Rahman (ruled 1822–1859)

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1386-458: The adjoining Lalla Mina Mosque. West of these, beyond the old walls, an even larger walled garden known today as the Agdal was established by Sultan Moulay Hassan I (ruled 1873–1894). (According to one author, the Lalla Mina Mosque is also attributed to Moulay Hassan. ) It also seems to have been under Moulay Hassan that the Dar al-Makhzen grounds were extended northwards up to the south gate of

1449-525: The advent of French colonial rule in 1912, the capital of Morocco was moved to Rabat and never returned to Fes. Some of the outlying branches of the palace, such as the Dar Batha and Dar el-Beida near Fes el-Bali, were occupied by the offices of the French authorities and of the French resident-general . In the 1960s King Hassan II reoriented the entrance of the palace complex from the Old Mechouar in

1512-563: The aqueduct and the huge noria (waterwheel) which raised water to it and which would have been almost as tall as the towers themselves. The gate gave access to what is now the Old Mechouar square, but originally this square actually served as a fortified bridge over the Oued Fes . At its south end was the Bab el-Oued ("Gate of the River") or Bab al-Qantara ("Gate of the Bridge"), the main gate into

1575-540: The central archway of the outer side, but otherwise there is little decoration on this facade. Dar al-Makhzen (Fez) The Royal Palace or Dar al-Makhzen ( Arabic : دار المخزن , lit.   'House of the Makhzen '; Berber languages : ⵜⴰⴷⴰⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵎⴿⵣⵏ ) is the palace of the King of Morocco in the city of Fez , Morocco . Its original foundation dates back to the foundation of Fes el-Jdid ("New Fez"),

1638-478: The centuries, much of it now dating to the 'Alawi period (17th-20th centuries). In the context of palace architecture, the term " mechouar " (from the French transliteration , méchouar, of Arabic المشور , also transliterated as mishwar or meshwar in English) generally refers to an official square or courtyard at the entrance of the royal palace. Such squares were used for various open-air ceremonies,

1701-472: The city itself. This southern gate later became the gate of the Royal Palace when the latter was expanded up to this point in the late 19th century, after which point the square in front of it became a mechouar . The mechouar area, much like the palace, has been modified and expanded over the centuries. On the north side of Bab Dekkakin, the New Mechouar, larger than the old one, was created either by

1764-491: The early 20th century as one of the more beautiful spaces of the palace, with one visitor claiming that Sultan Moulay Abd al-Hafid once had a small boat set to float around its central pool. The same sultan also began construction of a tall building in the courtyard's northwestern corner with the intention of installing the palace's first elevators in it, but the structure was left unfinished for many years after his reign. The Dar al-Makhzen also had its own library, located near

1827-468: The eastern base of its walls on the edge of the Jnan Sbil Gardens. On the southern side of the square today is the gate to the Dar al-Makhzen; until the creation of the new palace gates in the southwest, this was the main entrance to the palace. However, this was originally occupied by a gate called Bab al-Qantara ("Gate of the Bridge") or Bab el-Oued ("Gate of the River") which had been

1890-422: The gardens and the noria fell into disuse after the Marinid period and eventually disappeared, leaving only traces. Following years of neglect, the original Marinid constructions mostly fell into disrepair and were only restored, rebuilt, or replaced when the 'Alawi sultans re-invested in Fes and made it the capital of Morocco again (with the exception of certain periods). As a result, the current structures in

1953-424: The gate also serves as a backdrop for performances taking place inside the New Mechouar during the annual World Sacred Music Festival . The gate's inner side faces the Old Mechouar and the northeastern gate to the Royal Palace, historically the main entrance to the palace grounds (until the construction of the new palace gates in the southwest in the 20th century). Its outer facade faces the New Mechouar. The gate

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2016-469: The gate at the Old Mechouar, are the closest that most members of the public can get to the palace grounds. While today the main front entrance of the palace are its famous gates to the southwest, historically the palace's main public entrance was from the Old Mechouar to the northeast. Upon entering the palace from here, one passed through several courtyards until reaching the "Inner" Mechouar created under Sultan Moulay Hassan. This large rectangular courtyard

2079-426: The gate's inside passage turned 90 degrees twice and emerged at what is now the westernmost archway on the Old Mechouar side. The gate's outer facade is also its most richly decorated. The outline of the central archway is decorated with a molding sculpted in a repeating semi-circular motif. The spandrels above this are filled with tiles painted with interlacing arabesque (vegetal or floral) patterns. All of this

2142-438: The gate's passage. In addition to this central passage, however, are two other side passages through smaller archways on the gate's outer facade and through equal-sized archways on its inner facade (thus appearing as a triple gateway on this side). This symmetrical arrangement is a result of modern modifications to the gate to ease circulation. The original gate had a bent entrance: from the central opening on its north (outer) side,

2205-546: The help of Italian officers. Originally, this western wall was actually the large Marinid aqueduct built in 1287 to carry water to the Marinid royal gardens; the faint outline of its arches can still be seen today along the surface of the wall. The northern gate of the New Mechouar, across from Bab Dekkakin, known as Bab Kbibat es-Smen ("Gate of the Butter Niche"), also dates from this 1886 construction, though another gate called Bab Segma once stood near here and its name

2268-519: The help of Italian officers. Originally, though, this western wall was actually a large Marinid aqueduct built in 1286 to carry water to the Mosara Garden in the north; the faint outline of its arches can still be seen today within the structure of the wall. The northern gate of the New Mechouar, known as Bab Kbibat es-Smen ("Gate of the Butter Niche"), also dates from the 1886 construction, though another gate called Bab Segma (formerly part of

2331-541: The highly ornate 20th-century gates at Place des Alaouites , near the Mellah (to the southwest). The palace was founded and initially built, along with the rest of Fes el-Jdid, by the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Ya'qub in 1276. It served as the new royal residence and center of government for Morocco under Marinid rule. Before this, the main center of power and government in Fes had been the Kasbah Bou Jeloud on

2394-473: The largest elements is the Patio of Moulay Rashid , created in the 17th century, covering a large rectangular area on the east side of the palace. The courtyard is arranged around a rectangular water basin at its middle, and at its southeastern end is a small pavilion chamber preceded by a portico supported by white marble columns topped with elegant capitals . It was cited by a couple of outside visitors in

2457-496: The main public entrance to the palace) was at that time a fortified bridge over the Oued Fes (Fes River) at the northern entrance to the city, and was most likely not directly connected to the palace itself. In addition to the main palace structures at the center of the city, the palace was also flanked by a large park or garden area to the west which was characterized by elevated terraces and pavilions, most likely corresponding to

2520-558: The monumental Bab Dekkakin ("Gate of the Benches"; also known as Bab es-Sebaa, "Gate of the Lion"), lies the larger New Mechouar. According to scholars, it was created by Sultan Moulay Hassan in the late 19th century. On the western side of the square is a gateway in the Italianate architectural style which belongs to the Makina ( Dar al-Makina) , a former arms factory (also called Dar al-Silah ) established by Moulay Hassan in 1886 with

2583-544: The name come to designate Bab es-Sebaa. The name Bab Dekkakin means "Gate of the Benches" and is a reference to the previous existence of benches along the sides of the gate where those who were granted an audience inside the Palace would wait until called upon. Fes el-Jdid ("New Fes") was founded in 1276 by Sultan Abu Yusuf Ya'qub as the new capital of the Marinid Sultanate as a separate agglomeration overlooking

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2646-440: The nearby older city of Fes ( Fes el-Bali ; "Old Fes"). The city included the sultan's royal palace ( Dar al-Makhzen ), which has served as the residence of the rulers of Morocco during many periods and is still used on occasion by the King of Morocco today. Bab Dekkakin dates from the original Marinid foundation in 1276 and was part of the main northern entrance to the city. Its layout was highly defensive and it originally had

2709-458: The north to a new southern approach facing the modern Ville Nouvelle ("New City") of Fes. A new grand square, Place des Alaouites (''Alawi Square'), was laid out and new ornate gates to the palace were built between 1969 and 1971. Although no longer the royal palace of the capital, the main palace complex in Fes is still regularly used by the King of Morocco today. The palace is thus not open to

2772-441: The northern entrance to the whole city before the palace grounds were expanded and it became the gate to the Dar al-Makhzen itself. On the square's northern side is Bab Dekkakin (originally called Bab es-Sebaa), the monumental gate leading to and from the New Mechouar (see below). To the west, an opening in the walls leads to the Moulay Abdallah residential district of Fes el-Jdid. On the square's east side are two other openings in

2835-415: The northwestern area which became the new Moulay Abdallah neighbourhood from the early 18th century onwards. This is where Sultan Moulay Abdallah (ruled between 1729 and 1757) erected a large mosque and royal necropolis for the 'Alawi dynasty. Abdallah's successor, Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah (ruled 1748 and 1757–1790), was responsible, according to some sources, for establishing the New Mechouar and

2898-411: The palace further west, on the other hand, made up the sultan's private residence and was not accessible to anyone but the sultan, his family, and his inner circle. After Moulay Hassan, his son and successor Moulay Abd al-Aziz (ruled 1894–1908) constructed a palace pavilion, known as Dar al-Fassiya, on the western edge of the central palace structures, on the north side of the Lalla Mina Gardens. It

2961-422: The palace mainly date from the 'Alawi period, from the 17th century and after. Sultan Moulay Rashid , the first 'Alawi sultan to unify Morocco, captured Fez in 1666. In 1671, he ordered the creation of a vast rectangular courtyard in the eastern part of the palace. The courtyard, still extant today, was adorned with green zellij tiles and centered around a large rectangular water basin. This addition extended

3024-696: The palace, holding lions and other wild animals, but is now adjoined by the new main gates of the palace. Along the western edge of the gardens runs a set of double fortified walls which were the original Marinid western walls of Fes el-Jdid, as well as the original western gate known as Bab Agdal. Beyond these, further west and covering an even larger area, are the current Agdal Gardens which were originally established by Sultan Moulay Hassan. 34°3′18″N 4°59′36″W  /  34.05500°N 4.99333°W  / 34.05500; -4.99333 World Sacred Music Festival The Fez Festival of World Sacred Music (Festival des Musiques Sacrées du Monde)

3087-404: The palace. Historically, members of the public and government officials only had access to the first few courtyards of the Dar al-Makhzen, from the Old Mechouar to the "Inner Mechouar", due to public government institutions and tribunals being housed here. The Old Mechouar and the adjoining courtyards were thus a reception and waiting area for those who had business inside the palace. The rest of

3150-487: The public. The palace is located in Fes el-Jdid ("New Fes"), the fortified royal district founded by the Marinid sultans in 1276. Today it covers 80 hectares , taking up much of the city's area. Inside, the vast palace grounds are taken up by numerous courtyards, residential pavilions, gardens, and fountains. Its complicated and irregular layout is the result of repeated modifications, reconstructions, and expansions over

3213-414: The reception of ambassadors, and as waiting areas for those entering the palace. They were often also part of the setting for the dispensation of justice or the receiving of petitions to the ruler. For example, the main qadi (judge) of Fes Jdid held his tribunal near the entrance of the palace, located just inside the entrance from the Old Mechouar. There are at least three historical mechouars attached

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3276-472: The royal citadel of the Marinid dynasty , in 1276 CE. Most of the palace today dates from the 'Alawi era (17th-20th centuries). The vast grounds are home to multiple private structures, patios, and gardens, but historically also included administrative offices and government tribunals. Today, the most publicly visible parts of the palace are its main entrances at the Old Mechouar (to the northeast) and

3339-446: The royal palace of Fes. The smallest of the mechouars of Fes, this courtyard immediately precedes the official entrance to the Dar al-Makhzen. The mechouar is enclosed by ramparts on all sides and dates to the Marinid period. It appears that it was originally a fortified bridge over the Oued Fes (Fez River), with fortified gates at either end. The river still passes underneath the square, reemerging via four semi-circular openings at

3402-434: The same time as the new city in 1276 and was connected by a private passage directly to the palace, allowing the sultan to come and go for prayers. Although the original layout of the palace cannot be fully reconstructed due to centuries of subsequent expansion and modification, it was most likely concentrated further southwest within the current palace grounds. What is now the Old Mechouar (a large walled courtyard preceding

3465-602: The site of the present-day Lalla Mina Gardens in the current palace. These first gardens were known as the "Agdal" (not to be confused with the current Agdal Gardens further west) and followed a tradition already established in Almoravid and Almohad times, as exemplified by the older Agdal Gardens of Marrakesh . The western edge of these gardens was in turn bounded by the western walls of the city. A gate known as Bab Agdal still stands here today and preserves its old Marinid-era layout. Abu Yusuf Ya'qub had also wished to create

3528-512: The square, which was built by Sultan Abdelaziz (ruled 1894–1908). In the 1960s a new grand square, Place des Alaouites , was laid out on the southwestern side of the palace, near the former Mellah. New ornate gates were constructed here between 1969 and 1971. The gates are considered an excellent piece of modern Moroccan craftsmanship and are lavishly decorated with elaborate mosaic tilework , carved cedar wood, and doors of gilt bronze covered in geometric patterns . These gates, along with

3591-525: The wall. The southern one leads to the Grande Rue (main street) of Fes el-Jdid (which leads to Bab Semmarine and the Jewish Mellah beyond), while the northern opening gives access to the road leading towards Place Bou Jeloud and the entrance to Fes el Bali. Because of this crossroads, the mechouar is one of the busiest squares in Fes el-Jdid today. To the north of the Old Mechouar, through

3654-413: The western edge of the old city (at the location of the still extant Bou Jeloud Mosque ). The decision to create a new and highly fortified citadel separate from the old city ( Fes el-Bali ) may have reflected a continuous wariness of Moroccan rulers towards the highly independent and sometimes restive population of Fes. The Grand Mosque of Fes el-Jdid , adjacent to the palace grounds, was also founded at

3717-420: Was adjoined by a marble-paved courtyard and some of its rooms had ceilings gilded with gold leaf, but it was later abandoned and even partly looted. His successor, Moulay Abd al-Hafid (ruled 1908–1912), began in turn the construction of a large multi-story pavilion which was the include the first elevators in the palace, but its construction was not completed and it stood unfinished for many years. Following

3780-645: Was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, allegations arose against the festival organizers for allegedly barring the participation Tibetan musician Loten Namling following purported influence from the Chinese government. Namling, an activist and political refugee who resides in Switzerland, initially received an invitation to perform at the festival's opening event but subsequently received notice that his invitation had been revoked. It

3843-454: Was established in 1994 by Faouzi Skali, a philanthropist and the president of the Spirit of Fez Foundation, with the goal of promoting unity among individuals of all races and religions through spiritual and humanitarian values, inspired by Andalusian principles. Skali believed that music, being a universal language, has the power to communicate with people from all walks of life. The festival

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3906-537: Was lined by arcades and housed a number of public and administrative functions like the mahkama (courthouse). This mechouar also lay between the Grand Mosque of Fes el-Jdid and its former madrasa (the Madrasa of Fes el-Jdid or Madrasa Dar al-Makhzen ), cutting them off from each other and resulting in the madrasa being integrated into the palace. According to scholars it was Moulay Hassan who then built what

3969-523: Was opened on the east side of the central arch (to the left when seen from the Old Mechouar) and was given a similar decorative outline as the western archway in order to create visual symmetry. The overall form of the gate, however, including the massive towers flanking it, appear to be original from the Marinid period. Up to the early 20th century, there was also a prison attached to Bab Dekkakin, where prisoners serving long sentences were kept. Today,

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