Fes Crafts: Zellige, Pottery, Brass and Artisan Workshops to Visit

Fes is regarded as the capital of Moroccan craftsmanship. For centuries, thousands of artisans have carried on skills handed down from master to apprentice, in workshops that are often tiny, in the heart of the medina. Watching them at work is one of the most powerful experiences of a stay, far more than simple shopping. Here are the great trades of Fes, where to see them and how to buy directly from the craftsmen. For the other must-sees, see things to do in Fes.

A city of craftsmen

As in the great medieval cities, each trade once had its street, its guild and its master, the maâlem. This organisation can still be read in the medina: coppersmiths around Seffarine square, dyers near Rcif, carpenters towards Nejjarine, tanners at Chouara. An apprentice often starts young and takes years to master the gestures. Buying from a craftsman directly supports this transmission.

Zellige, the art of Fes par excellence

Zellige is a mosaic made of small pieces of glazed terracotta, each cut by hand. In Fes, clay is shaped into tiles, glazed in bright colours and fired. Craftsmen then cut each piece with a sharpened hammer into precise shapes, before assembling them face down to compose stars, rosettes and interlacing patterns. The panel is finally backed with mortar and turned over. The finest examples are in the madrasas; see the madrasas and monuments of Fes. You can watch zellige cutters in the workshops of the potters’ quarter, outside the medina towards Bab Ftouh.

Pottery and Fes blue

Fes ceramics are famous for their cobalt blue hand-painted on a white ground: plates, bowls, vases and spice jars with geometric and floral patterns. Potters, based in a dedicated quarter outside the medina because of their kilns, throw the clay on the wheel, dry it, glaze and paint it before firing. A workshop visit lets you see every stage, from wheel to brush.

Copper and brass

On Seffarine square, the coppersmiths’ hammering has echoed for centuries. They shape cauldrons, engraved trays, teapots and pierced lanterns whose light draws stars on the walls. Chasing the metal with punch and small hammer demands infinite patience.

Leather

Hides prepared in the tanneries are then cut and stitched by the medina’s leatherworkers: babouche slippers, bags, belts and poufs. Learn all about how they are made in the Fes tanneries.

Weaving and embroidery

In small workshops, weavers still clack their wooden looms to produce djellaba cloth, blankets and scarves. Fes embroidery, worked in counted stitch, is renowned for its delicacy: monochrome geometric patterns, often blue or red, identical on the front and back. You will also find trimming makers who craft djellaba buttons and braid by hand.

Cedar wood

Painted ceilings, carved doors, mashrabiya screens and chests: Atlas cedar is everywhere in Fes. The Nejjarine Museum, housed in an old caravanserai, displays the finest pieces of this art, and carpenters still work in the nearby lanes.

Where to watch craftsmen at work

• Seffarine square: coppersmiths, in the open air.
• The dyers’ souk, near Rcif: coloured skeins and dye vats.
• The potters’ quarter, outside Bab Ftouh: pottery and zellige.
• Around Nejjarine: carpenters and cabinetmakers.
• The lanes of Talaa Kebira: weavers, cobblers and embroiderers.
• The Ensemble Artisanal in the new town: workshops and fixed-price shops.

For a first discovery, a licensed guide knows which workshops welcome visitors; say if you do not want to buy.

How much time to allow

Half a day is enough for a first discovery: Seffarine square, the dyers’ souk and a weaving workshop in the medina, then the potters’ quarter by taxi. Enthusiasts can easily spend a whole day, adding the Nejjarine Museum and an embroidery workshop. Wear comfortable shoes and carry some cash for small purchases.

Visiting a workshop: good manners

• Say hello and ask whether you may come in and watch.
• Ask before photographing the craftsman or their work.
• Do not touch pieces in progress unless invited.
• If you stay a long time without buying, a small tip is a welcome gesture.

Buying crafts wisely

Check the evenness of the stitching, the thickness of the glaze and the fineness of the chasing. Be wary of “cactus silk”, usually viscose. Bargain respectfully: the price of a handmade object reflects hours of work. Our detailed tips are in shopping in the Fes souks, and to photograph these scenes, see the best photo spots in Fes.

Craftsmanship at La Petite Maison

Our riad is itself a tribute to the craftsmen of Fes: zellige relaid tile by tile, tadelakt polished with stone, cedar ceilings repainted by hand, brass and wrought iron. We are happy to explain these crafts, as in our article what is a riad, and to point you to our favourite artisans. Discover the story of the restoration, browse our rooms or write to us.