Nejjarine museum of woodworking arts in Morocco
Nejjarine museum of woodworking arts in Morocco: Some of the world’s finest woodcarvers hail from Morocco, and their talent is on display at the Fez Wood Museum (Nejjarin des arts et métiers de Bois).
Many of the architectural elements to be seen in the country were created by modern craftsmen or curators trained in ancient techniques.
The Musée du Bois, one of Fez’s outstanding museums, is a must-see.
The Museum of Arts and Crafts past
Nejjarine museum of woodworking arts in Morocco: The Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du Bois is a museum dedicated to woodworking and carpentry, located in Fez, Morocco.
The museum was founded by Mohamed Nejjarine in 1950 as a private collection of antiques and woodwork dating back to pre-Islamic times. It was opened to the public in 1968 after being recognized by UNESCO as a site of intangible cultural heritage.
The museum is housed in an ancient palace called Dar Bouazza, built by Moulay Ismail in 1679 during his reign over Fez. The palace was subsequently enlarged, and today comprises several rooms displaying various objects such as maps, models and paintings relating to woodworking and carpentry at different periods in history.
Exhibitions and collections at the Musée des Arts et Métiers
The museum’s collection includes work benches, tools and furniture that were used in ancient Moroccan workshops or at home. Exhibits also include wooden objects such as doors, windows and other parts of buildings, as well as religious objects such as stands for Korans. The collection also includes agricultural tools such as ploughs and sickles, as well as traditional furniture such as beds, chairs and tables.
Exhibitions are regularly held at the museum to showcase its collection of traditional works of art, including carpets, pottery, metalwork and embroidery.
Over 300 works are on display in the museum, which was built thanks to a $5 million investment by King Mohammed VI. The museum has several galleries, including one featuring furniture made from local materials such as cedar, pine and olive wood.
The building of the Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du bois
The Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du Bois is located in the medina of Fez, Morocco. It was inaugurated in 1969 by Mohammed V and named in honor of his father, Moulay Ali Cherif Nejjarine. The museum is housed in a 17th-century palace that once belonged to the Nejjarine family. It contains an impressive collection of traditional Moroccan arts and crafts: woodwork, ceramics, metalwork and textiles.
The building itself is a work of art, having been carefully restored to preserve its original character while using modern techniques to ensure that it meets current environmental protection standards. The entire structure was built using traditional techniques and materials; many of the exhibits were made by local craftsmen using traditional techniques.
The museum also houses a library containing over 2,000 works on Moroccan culture and history, as well as private collections donated by members of the royal family or other wealthy individuals who wished to have their treasures preserved for posterity.
The wood museum is divided into three sections:
Nejjarine museum of woodworking arts in Morocco: The first section is devoted to wood craftsmanship, including furniture, marquetry, jewelry and joinery. Most pieces are made by local craftsmen and can be purchased in their stores.
The second section contains various types of wooden arts and crafts from all over Morocco. These include weapons, furniture and musical instruments. Each object has its own story to tell!
The third section features paintings by local artists using traditional techniques such as oil on canvas or watercolor on paper. There are also contemporary works reflecting current trends in Moroccan art.
Accessing the Musée des Arts et Métiers
The Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du bois is located in the heart of the Fès medina. To get there, you can take a cab from anywhere in the city (but it’s best to use a driver who knows the area).
If you want to walk, exit Bab Boujloud towards Bab Guissa, then turn left after about ten minutes into rue Sidi Meskine. After ten minutes, you’ll see the museum on your right.
You can also take bus no. 6 to Bab Boujloud (ask someone where to wait) or bus no. 3 to Bab al-Ftouh if you prefer public transport.
The nearest airport is Fès-Menara (FEZ), 6.9 km from the museum.
From the airport, you can take a cab or hire a car to the museum. Cabs are available 24 hours a day and can be booked in advance on Uber or with your hotel concierge. A cab from the airport to the museum costs around 5 euros.
You can also take an Uber from the airport for around 1.5 euros to 2 euros. The app will tell you the cost before you book your trip, so there are no surprises once you arrive at your destination!
Places close to Musée Nejjarine des Arts et Métiers du bois
The Mausoleum of Moulay Idriss is a religious site and mausoleum in Fez, Morocco. It is the holiest place for the Mourides, who follow the teachings of Amadou Bamba and his descendants.
The Cherratine Medersa is a medieval medersa in Fès el Bali, Morocco. It was built in the 13th century by Sultan Yacoub el Mansour as part of his medersa complex. It was later used by Moulay Ismail as his residence and today houses a museum dedicated to him.
The Medersa Attarine is a medieval educational institution located in Fès el Bali, Morocco. It was built in 1331 by Yacoub el Mansour as part of his medersa complex and today houses an ethnographic museum dedicated to Moroccan craftsmen.
The Al Quaraouiyine mosque is the oldest mosque in Fès el Jdid, Morocco, and one of Morocco’s most important religious buildings, as well as one of its oldest universities (Al Quaraouiyine), founded by Fatima al-Fihriya around 859 CE.
Mosque and Quaraouiyine University in Fez
Al Quaraouiyine, one of Fez’s most historic monuments, welcomes visitors with its medieval mosque.
The Quaraouiyine Mosque and University, the oldest university in the world, are also impressive. Here you’ll find a guide to both sites: a history of each and photos of the mosque and university as they look today.
The al Quaraouiyine mosque
The Al Quaraouiyine Mosque (Arabic: مسجد القروين) is a mosque located in Fez, Morocco. It is the oldest university that is still in existence.
The Al Quaraouiyine mosque was founded in 859 by Fatima al Fihri, a wealthy merchant from Kairouan in Tunisia. She donated her entire fortune to her brother Abdullah al-Fihri, who decided to use his inheritance to create a religious building where people of different faiths could study together.
The mosque was built on the bank of the Oued Bou Regreg, near the royal palace. It took seven years to complete, and the minaret was built six years later[1]. The mosque’s founder chose this site because it had previously been occupied by an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter[2].
The original structure of the Al Quaraouiyine mosque consisted of two prayer halls: one for men and one for women. Each room had ten domes with wooden ceilings painted blue with gold stars[3]. There were also two gardens within the building’s courtyard.
Architecture of the Al Quaraouiyine mosque
The Al Quaraouiyine mosque is one of the oldest universities in the world. It was founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, a wealthy woman from Tunisia. It was part of a large madrasa that included a mosque, hospital and public baths.
The building has been extended several times over the centuries, but the original structure remains intact.
The complex is built around three courtyards and is surrounded by high walls with watchtowers at each corner. The courtyard on the north side has an entrance gate with three doors. There are two minarets on this side of the complex, as well as a small mausoleum where Fatima al-Fihri is buried.
The main courtyard houses a marble and green-tiled ablutions fountain inside a small stone building with stuccoed walls and ceiling. On the other side of the fountain is a small rectangular room whose wooden roof is supported by columns and whose walls and ceiling are adorned with intricate zellij tiles.
The Quaraouiyine Library
Nejjarine museum of woodworking arts in Morocco: This library is one of the oldest in the world. It was founded by Fatima al-Fihri in Fez in 859. The building is made entirely of mud bricks and wood. It took over 50 years to build. The library contains over 400,000 manuscripts and books that are still studied today.
The library has been damaged and rebuilt many times since its creation, including an earthquake in 1418 that destroyed much of Fez’s famous architecture. In 1765, another earthquake destroyed most of the building, with the exception of the entrance archway.
Presentation of Al Quaraouiyine University of Fez
Founded in 859 by Fatima Al-Fihriya, the Al Quaraouiyine University of Fez (UAQ Fez) is a university located in Fez and considered the world’s oldest active university by UNESCO, the Guinness Book of Records and several historians. Since then, UAQ Fès has been a place of worship and learning, contributing to Morocco’s religious and scientific influence.
Under its founding law, Al Quaraouiyine University of Fez remains a public institution with legal personality and financial autonomy, dedicated to higher education and scientific research in the fields of Sharia sciences, Islamic studies, thought and civilization.
UAQ Fez’s mission, among others, is to train ulemas and researchers specializing in Koranic studies, Sharia sciences and advanced Islamic studies, and to contribute to the development of human resources through research activities aimed at solving current problems linked to the needs of society from an Islamic perspective.
Al Quaraouiyine University: the world’s oldest university
Al Quaraouiyine University is the oldest university in the world and one of the most prestigious. It was founded by Fatima al-Fihri in 859. Located in Fez, Morocco, it is one of the oldest universities in existence today.
Al Quaraouiyine’s original name was Dar al-Qur’an al-Karim (the house or place of the noble Koran). It was founded by Fatima al-Fihri during her father’s reign over Fez. She then inherited the university from her father and made it one of her top priorities to ensure its growth and development for years to come.
Al Quaraouiyine University has been in existence for over 1,000 years and has evolved over time, as different rulers came to power and changed things here and there. Despite this, it has always remained a center of higher education and research, where academics come together to share ideas and learn from each other’s experiences.
Fatima Al-Fihriya: Founder of Al Quaraouiyine University in Fez
Nejjarine museum of woodworking arts in Morocco: The founding of Al Quaraouiyine University in Fez, Morocco, is attributed to Fatima al-Fihriya, the daughter of a wealthy merchant named Moulay Ali ibn Moussa. She founded the institution in 859 AD and dedicated it to her father.
The university was originally a mosque and madrasa for the study of sharia, the Malikite school of jurisprudence in Sunni Islam. It became an independent university in 988 AD, but continued to be funded by private donations from wealthy individuals and families. In addition to religious studies, students learned mathematics, astronomy, history and geography.
Fatima al-Fihriya’s family was very wealthy thanks to trade with Spain and North Africa. The family also owned numerous properties in Fez that were rented out for commercial purposes. The family’s wealth enabled it not only to finance its own projects, but also those of others, including other mosques and charitable institutions such as orphanages or soup kitchens for the poor and elderly, which it did until its demise in around 1550 AD.
Establishments of Al Quaraouiyine University of Fez
The Al Quaraouiyine University of Fez comprises the following higher education establishments:
Institut Dar Hadith El Hassania in Rabat (EDHH Rabat)
Institut Mohammed VI des Lectures et Etudes Coraniques in Rabat
Institut Mohammed VI pour la Formation des Imams Morchidines et Morchidates in Rabat
Jamia Al Quaraouiyine in Fez (formerly Jamia Al Quaraouiyine pour l’Enseignement Traditionnel Terminal in Fez)
UAQ Fès also includes other national scientific research establishments, namely
Institut Royal de Recherche sur l’Histoire du Maroc in Rabat
Institut de la Pensée et de la Civilisation Musulmane in Casablanca.
UAQ Fez is a non-profit public institution whose mission is to pursue scientific research in its fields of competence. It is managed by a Board of Directors chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has entrusted UAQ Fès with the implementation of the National Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development (SNST).
UAQ Fès is governed by three main bodies: the Board of Directors, which is responsible for overseeing its management; the Executive Council, which manages its day-to-day operations; and the General Assembly, which approves its budget and elects its members.
Training programs at Al Quaraouiyine University in Fez
Al Quaraouiyine University is located in Fez, Morocco. It was founded in 859 by Fatima al-Fihri, making it the oldest continuously operating educational institution in existence and the world’s first degree-awarding institution, according to UNESCO and Guinness World Records. The university is named after its founder, the al-Qurayyin mosque.
The university offers courses leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in many fields of study. It has several research centers, such as the Center for Arabic Manuscripts and Calligraphy, the Center for Cultural Heritage Management and the Center for Research on the Arab World. The latter two are funded by Saudi Arabia.
Overall, the Quaraouiyine Mosque and University in Fez is one of the most fascinating places I’ve ever visited. The history behind it is astonishing, and I think it would be hard to find a building anywhere else in the world that has as much to offer as this one.
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