Can you visit Ibn Danan synagogue?

Yes. The synagogue has been open as a heritage site since its 1999 reopening. Entry is via a small donation; the underground mikveh and rooftop are part of the visit.

Are there still Jewish residents in the Mellah?

Only a very small Jewish community remains in Fez today. Most of the historic Mellah residents emigrated after World War II; the quarter is now largely Muslim but the architecture and synagogues survive.

FEZ · LOCATIONS

Fez Mellah

Morocco's first Jewish quarter, founded 1438

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Fezlocations

Fez Mellah

Morocco's first Jewish quarter, founded 1438

The Fez Mellah, established in 1438 next to the royal palace in Fes el-Jdid, is Morocco's first walled Jewish quarter and the source of the term 'mellah' itself. It still contains the Ibn Danan synagogue, the Jewish cemetery and balconied houses unlike anywhere else in the medina.