Chouara Tannery

What it is

Chouara is the largest of the Fez tanneries and the image everyone has of the city: a courtyard of stone pits full of coloured dyes, with men up to their waists working the hides. It is in Fez el-Bali, next to the Saffarin madrasa and on the banks of the Fez river. Local tradition traces it back to the founding of the city by Idris II, in the early 9th century; historians say its origin is unclear.

The process is still manual, without machines. Cow, sheep, goat and camel hides spend two or three days in white pits with a mixture of cow urine, pigeon droppings, quicklime, salt and water, which cleans and softens them. They are then dyed in pits of natural colours: poppy for red, indigo for blue, henna for orange. They are dried in the sun on the rooftops and sold to craftspeople who make bags, babouches and jackets. A few years ago it was restored and kept in place, although there were plans to move it out of the medina.

How you see it

The tannery is not visited from inside. You look at it from above, from the terraces of the leather shops that surround it. You go into one of them, climb several floors among bags and jackets and come out on a terrace with the courtyard at your feet. They will give you a sprig of mint for the smell, which is strong, especially in the heat.

The shop expects you to look at its goods. You are not obliged to buy: leave a tip for the view, about 10 to 20 DH, and go down. If you buy, haggle calmly and compare in other shops first.

When to go

In the morning, between nine and eleven or so. That is when the most work is going on in the pits, they are full of colour and the light comes in well. At midday in summer the smell gets strong. On Friday at midday many workshops in the medina stop for prayer.

Allow half an hour on the terrace, plus the time to get there.

Getting there

It is in the tanners' quarter, below Place Seffarine, at the bottom of the medina. From Bab Boujloud you go down Talaa Kebira to the area of the Al-Attarine madrasa and continue towards the river: it is a long walk downhill, more than half an hour with stops. The last little streets are a labyrinth: ask in a shop for the Chouara tannery. There is no way to get there by car.

Near the tannery many lads and fake guides come up offering to take you "to the good terrace". The calmest thing is to go with the official guide of your first day, who takes you straight to a terrace and saves you the detours. You have it at official medina guide.

With children and teenagers

Teenagers find it impressive. With small children, the smell can be too much; the mint helps. The stairs in the shops are narrow and steep: do not let go of them, including on the terrace. You cannot go up with a pushchair.