Is the Al-Qarawiyyin Library open to visitors?

Yes — since the 2016–2017 restoration, the library entrance on Place Seffarine receives visitors. Hours are limited and access to manuscripts requires academic credentials.

How old is Al-Qarawiyyin really?

The mosque was founded in 857 or 859 CE. It became a teaching institution shortly after and has operated continuously for over 1,160 years, predating Bologna (1088) by more than two centuries.

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Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque & University

World's oldest continually operating university

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Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque & University — Fez

World's oldest continually operating university

Founded as a mosque in 857–859 by Fatima al-Fihri, Al-Qarawiyyin became one of the leading centres of the Islamic Golden Age. UNESCO and the Guinness World Records describe it as the oldest existing continually operating educational institution in the world.

Location

Fez

FAQs

No. The prayer hall is reserved for Muslims, but non-Muslim visitors can view the courtyard from the Bab Boutouil and Bab al-Ward gates and visit the historic library on Place Seffarine.