Fez and Granada, “magical cities”

“Fez and Granada. The Magical Cities”. This is the title of the photo­graphy exhibition which opened on Saturday April 23, 2022 in Fez. The exhibition, which runs until April 30, 2022, is the work of Spanish photo­grapher Rafael Carmona Roldán.

Organized by the Cultural Council of the Embassy of Spain in Morocco and the Cervantes Institute of Fez, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture of Morocco, this exhibition highlights the similarities between the two cities. Fruit of a shared his­tory and a common cultural tradition that, despite the centuries that have passed since the disappearance of the Al-Andalus civilization in the Iberian Peninsula, these similarities are still visible and recognizable in architec­ture and urban planning of the two twin cities. In their heyday, these cities were the capitals of their res­pective Kingdoms and the focus of a rich cultural life in which flourished the exchanges of artists, intellectuals, and architectural models, among which one finds the Alhambra of Granada, and the Al-Qarawiyyine Mosque and Koranic schools in Fez.

The result of this fieldwork, carried out during the fall of 2021, is an exhibition in which images of Fez and Granada are combined together, where it is difficult for the viewer to distinguish them when facing a scene. The selection of photographs for this exhibition was made express­ly for its presentation in the city of Fez on the initiative of the Cultural Council of the Spanish Embassy in Morocco and of the Cervantes Ins­titute in Fez, with the support of the regional office of the Moroccan Mi­nistry of Culture in Fez, which made its gallery available for the presen­tation of this fascinating exhibition.

For many experts, this exhibition could be an opportunity to dust off relations between the two cities, es­pecially after the warming of diplo­matic relations between Morocco and Spain. Being unanimous, the authors of this twinning agree that in terms of culture, Fez and Grena­da share the rich artistic heritage to be preserved and safeguarded that Andalusian music represents. This music deserves to be listed as part of the intangible heritage of Unesco. It should be noted that in these two cities, the Islamic civilization has left as a legacy an often-resplendent past. From Granada, with the citadel of the Alhambra, to the emblematic medina of Fez, the Muslim dynasties distinguished themselves by their architectural refinement. Both cities have world-renowned architectural marvels.

To taste the fair value of this heri­tage, the Private University of Fez and the University of Granada pro­mise to hold cyclical conferences. The leaders of the two institutions have signed a twinning agreement to this effect.

“From Andalusian Fez to Moorish Granada, the nostalgia for the brief golden age, during which the two cities maintained a fruitful relation­ship is not extinguished”, say histo­rians. Located in the South of Spain, at the feet of the Sierra Nevada, Gra­nada is the true pearl of Andalusia. The city concentrates an exceptional heritage that is on the Unesco list, in particular for the legacy of the Nasrid era (1238-1492), which left sumptuous traces of a prosperous past. The small streets of Granada; the Bañuelos, magnificent Arab baths dating from the 11th century, recently restored; and the Albaicín, an old labyrinthine Arab district with white Moorish-style houses, make the beauty of this city.

World fame

The city of Fez owes its world­wide fame to the richness and diver­sity of its civilizational heritage and to the various scientific, political, and intellectual personalities it has produced. Its medina, the oldest and largest in the world, is the model example of an Oriental city. It is

Friday 29 April 2022 also placed under the protection of Unesco. The city was founded by Idris the First in 789. “From the Idri-sids to the Alaouites, from the Anda-lusians to the Jews, all dynasties and all peoples have left their mark on the city”, historians say.

Youness SAAD ALAMI