Behind the Colors: Fes in Repair

October 21, 2015, in Fez

That afternoon, the sun shone brightly on the old alleys of Fez. We walked to the Chouara Tannery, expecting to see postcard-like colorful stone pits. But what we saw was something else—old houses around the pits were supported by long wooden beams, the pits were bare, and the sounds of workers echoed through the nooks and crannies.

It may sound like a "miss," but in reality, we were standing in the middle of a historical moment in Fez.

📜 History
• The Chouara Tannery is the oldest in Fez, dating back to the 11th century.
• It uses traditional tanning methods: raw hides are soaked in lime and pigeon droppings before being dyed with natural dyes such as indigo and ruby.
• From 2011–2016, the tannery was closed for extensive renovations to repair the pits, restore the structure, and address pollution.
• Our visit, October 21, 2015, marked the fourth year of its closure—a sight rarely seen by tourists.

What we saw that day was not a refurbished Fez. But Fes is taking a "breathing" break to rebuild its thousand-year-old body.

Perhaps this is a fortunate coincidence—a glimpse of another side of the city that tells us that its ancient heritage, just like humans, needs healing.

#FesElBal #Morroco

Post by Mr. Choon | Sep 27, 2025