Mellah (Jewish Quarter), Fes

Bab Semmarine and then Bab el-Mellah serve as entry points into the Mellah, the historic Jewish quarter of Fès. The name "mellah" likely originates from the Arabic term for "salt marsh", referring to the terrain upon which the quarter developed.

Exploring this area unveils a stark contrast with the adjacent Muslim quarters. Architecturally, it's a different world—buildings are taller, narrower, and tightly packed. The boundaries of the Jewish quarter were established only in the late 18th century and the available space was limited. Consequently, residents were compelled to construct two-story houses around small courtyards, resulting in very confined living conditions.

Considered to be the first Jewish enclave in Morocco, this quarter was initially situated in the northern part of Fès el-Bali, adjacent to the Karaouiyine district. In the early 13th century, the Merinid rulers relocated it closer to the palace, and in exchange for an annual levy collected by the state treasury, pledged to safeguard the Jewish community. This new location of the Jewish quarter offered its inhabitants greater security.

With its markets, artisan workshops, educational institutions, synagogues, and a cemetery, the quarter thrived, fostering strong social bonds and unprecedented opportunities for social mobility within the Jewish community. Much like their Muslim counterparts elsewhere, most Jewish residents were organized based on their craft specialization. For instance, the Amazigh Andalusian author and diplomat Leo Africanus noted metalworking in his book "Description of Africa" in the mid-16th century, observing that only Jewish artisans worked with gold and silver.

Following Morocco's independence in 1956, the Mellah's Jewish population of seventeen thousand migrated en masse to Casablanca, Paris, and Israel. Today, only a few Jewish families remain in the Mellah and the Ville Nouvelle, and the remnants of their presence are evident in a handful of synagogues—such as the UNESCO-restored Ibn Danan Synagogue (off Rue des Merinides)—and their distinctive 18th- and 19th-century houses, characterized by small shuttered windows and ornate ironwork balconies overlooking the bustling Rue des Merenides.