Fez has been the seat of power in Morocco for four different dynasties, for a total of around 650 years. Built by Idris I between 789 and 808, since then the Marinids, Wattasids and Alouites have all ruled from here. Fez relinquished its most recent hold of the throne in 1912, when the French administrators decided to move the capital to Rabat. It has never relinquished its heritage however, and more than anywhere else in Morocco, and perhaps the entire Arab world, this is the place to see a medieval city, still living, still breathing.
Marrakech was the next Imperial City, founded by the Almoravids in 1062 after a period of instability gripped the country. Like its northern cousin the city has been in and out of favor down the centuries, with four different dynasties (the Almoravids, Almohads, Saadi and Alaouite) making it their capital. Today it’s the most famous city in Morocco – as evidenced by its popularity among world travelers and adventure seekers.
