Cherratine Medersa: An Alaouite Architectural Masterpiece in Fes

The Cherratine Medersa stands as a rare 17th-century religious school in the heart of Fes el Bali, just a few paces from the rhythmic clanging of the copper smiths in Place Seffarine. While the city is famous for its 14th-century Marinid schools, this site—commissioned by Sultan Moulay al-Rashid in 1670—marks a distinct shift in Moroccan design toward functional volume and structural clarity. Visitors who pay the 20 MAD entry fee often find themselves alone in a space that once housed over 130 students across three sprawling levels of dormitory cells.

Architectural Shift Under the Alaouite Dynasty

Unlike the better-known Al-Attarine or Bou Inania medersas, Cherratine represents the early Alaouite era's departure from the high-ornament style of the previous centuries. You will not find the same floor-to-ceiling saturation of zellij tilework or the dizzying complexity of carved stucco that defines the Marinid period. Instead, the focus here is on the warmth of massive cedar wood lintels and the imposing presence of brickwork—a choice that gives the courtyard a more grounded and perhaps more authentic scholarly atmosphere.

Breaking the Marinid Mold

The building was actually a replacement for an older, desecrated school known as the Madrasa el-Lebbadin, which explains its unusually regular rectangular footprint in such a dense urban environment. This geometric discipline allowed the builders to maximize the vertical space, creating a series of galleries that look inward toward a central marble fountain. The lack of visual noise makes the transition to the Alaouite style obvious; the decoration is reserved for the upper zones of the walls and the prayer hall, leaving the lower levels relatively spartan and focused on utility.

The Bronze Doors and Central Atrium

The entrance experience begins with massive double doors covered in chiseled bronze—an expensive detail that signals the sultan's intent to establish his dynasty's cultural legitimacy. Once inside, a narrow corridor with a painted wood ceiling leads into the main courtyard. The central atrium serves as the primary light source for the entire complex, but its most striking feature is the southern portico. Three horseshoe arches lead to the prayer hall, where the mihrab remains finely decorated with carved stucco, providing a sharp contrast to the simplicity of the residential blocks.

Inside the Student Living Quarters

One of the most compelling reasons to visit Cherratine over its more famous neighbors is the level of access granted to the upper floors. You can climb the narrow staircases to explore the student quarters, which are arranged in a multi-level grid that feels more like a modern apartment complex than a medieval school. This layout is strikingly similar to the Ben Youssef Madrasa in Marrakech, prioritizing housing capacity for students coming from the Rif, Algeria, and the Tafilalt regions.

Layout of the 130 Dormitory Cells

The school contains roughly 125 to 130 small rooms (douiras) where students lived, studied, and cooked for themselves. Many of these cells are surprisingly small—barely enough for a bed and a few books—though some feature small windows that offer narrow views of the medina's rooftops or the courtyard below. Walking through these corridors gives you a physical sense of the crowded, high-pressure environment of 17th-century academic life. The preservation of these rooms allows for a much clearer understanding of the daily routine of the tolba (students) compared to medersas that only allow visitors to see the ground floor.

Practical Advice for Navigating the Site

Finding the entrance requires navigating the winding alleys near the Qarawiyyin Mosque; look for the signs near the Souq es-Sheratin (the market of the rope makers). The site is generally much quieter than other Fes monuments—a detail that makes it a perfect escape when the main thoroughfares of Talaa Kebira become overwhelming. If you want the best photographs, head straight to the second-floor galleries during the late morning (around 10:30 AM). The light hits the cedar balconies and the central fountain at an angle that highlights the texture of the wood without washing out the colors of the marble bowl.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current entry fee for the Cherratine Medersa?

The standard entrance fee for international visitors is 20 MAD (approximately 2 USD), which is paid at the small desk just inside the bronze doors. This price is consistent with most historical monuments in Fes, though it is always wise to carry small change as the attendants rarely have large amounts of cash on hand.

How does Cherratine differ from the Al-Attarine Medersa?

While Al-Attarine is celebrated for its dense 14th-century ornamentation, Cherratine is significantly larger and dates to the 1670s. The architectural style is Alaouite rather than Marinid, meaning it has fewer mosaics and focuses more on cedar wood and brick construction across its three residential floors.

Can visitors access the upper floors and student rooms?

Yes, visitors are allowed full access to the second and third floors to walk through the 130 student cells and the surrounding galleries. This is a unique feature in Fes, as many other schools restrict access to the ground floor courtyard and prayer hall only.

Is the Cherratine Medersa still an active school today?

The building no longer serves as an active educational institution and is currently managed as a historic heritage monument and museum. It was officially classified as a national monument in 1917 and became part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Medina of Fez in 1981.

Where is the best place to find the medersa entrance?

The entrance is located on Rue Cherratine in the heart of the Fes Medina, situated very close to the copper market of Place Seffarine. It is best reached by walking from the Qarawiyyin Mosque toward the spice souks, keeping an eye out for the large bronze-clad wooden doors.