Royal Palace of Fez

The Royal Palace of Fez, known locally as Dar al-Makhzen, has been a seat of royal power since the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf Ya'qub founded Fes el-Jdid, the new fortified royal city, in 1276. Most of the buildings inside today date from the Alaouite dynasty between the 17th and 20th centuries. Moulay Rashid, who took Fez in 1666, added a large tiled courtyard, and later sultans including Moulay Abd al-Rahman, Hassan I and Abdelaziz expanded the grounds. The complex covers around 80 hectares, a large share of the city's historic area, with courtyards, pavilions, gardens and fountains.

The palace is not open to the public, so a visit is all about the facade. In the 1960s King Hassan II moved the main entrance to a new southern approach, and the monumental gateway on Place des Alaouites was built between 1969 and 1971. It is the image most people come for: huge gilt bronze doors set in a wall of zellij mosaic and carved cedar, with geometric patterns that catch the sun. Visitors keep to the square, which is wide enough to take photographs of the full facade.

The best time for photographs is the morning, when the light falls more evenly on the doors, or late afternoon when the bronze takes on a warmer colour. The square is open and exposed, so bring a hat in summer. Ten to twenty minutes is usually enough, though most people combine the stop with a walk through the surrounding district. Follow any instructions from the guards, and avoid photographing them or security posts at close range.

Place des Alaouites lies on the south-western side of the palace, right beside the former Jewish quarter, the Mellah. From the square you can walk into Rue des Mérinides, lined with houses with wooden balconies, visit the Ibn Danan Synagogue and the Jewish Cemetery, or head north through Fes el-Jdid towards Bab Semmarine and the old mechouar, a parade ground where there is another view of the palace walls.

Petits taxis can drop you on the square, and it is a pleasant walk of around half an hour from Bab Bou Jeloud along the walls and through Fes el-Jdid. The palace is a good starting point for a half day on the quieter side of the city, away from the crowds of Fes el-Bali.