The Marinid Tombs or Merenid Tombs are a set of ruined monumental tombs on a hill above and north of Fes al-Bali, the old city of Fez, Morocco. They were originally a royal necropolis for the Marinid dynasty which ruled over Morocco in the 13th to 15th centuries. Today, they are a popular lookout point over the historic city.
Marinid Tombs
A photograph of the tombs in 1881
Remains of arabesque decoration and an Arabic inscription, both carved in stucco, inside one of the large tombs
Ruins of a qubba (domed tomb) behind the main tombs, with part of the Bab Guissa Cemetery in the background
Fes el Bali is the oldest walled part of Fez, the second largest city of Morocco. Fes el Bali was founded as the capital of the Idrisid dynasty between 789 and 808 AD. UNESCO listed Fes el Bali, along with Fes Jdid, as a World Heritage Site in 1981 under the name Medina of Fez. The World Heritage Site includes Fes el Bali's urban fabric and walls as well as a buffer zone outside of the walls that is intended to preserve the visual integrity of the location. Fes el Bali is, along with Fes Jdid and the French-created Ville Nouvelle or “New Town”, one of the three main districts in Fez.
The Bab Bou Jeloud gate, leading into the old medina of Fez
The old medina of Fez. View over Tala'a Kebira street and the minaret of the Bou Inania Madrasa (left) and another mosque (right).
View of Bab Ftouh, the southern gate of the city, in the early 20th century.
Tala'a Kebira, the longest and one of the most important streets, runs between the western entrance of the city and the Al-Qarawiyyin area at its center. It hosts various souks and shops along much of its length.
