Quartier Mellah

The Mellah of Fez is defined by its wooden balconies, which cantilevers outward over the streets in a style distinct from the rest of the city. Established in fourteen thirty-eight, this district in Fes el-Jdid is the oldest walled Jewish quarter in Morocco. It was created by the Marinid dynasty to house the city's Jewish population, positioning them near the Royal Palace for protection. Because this was the first such neighborhood, its name, which means salt in Arabic, became the standard term for every Jewish quarter that followed throughout the country.