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15 Breathtaking Pictures of Fez in Black and White

posted on: Mar 27, 2017

By Morocco World News

When German photographer Victoria Knobloch visited FeZ, she was blown away by the beauty of the ancient city.

Fez is one of the most spiritual cities in Africa, built around an incredibly well-preserved medina. The old city is a winding maze of alleyways topped by red roofs, green tile, and crumbling stone. In her pieces, Knobloch captures the ordinary people in this mystical setting, providing an authentic human context.

“One does not find any car in the Medina and transports of goods are provided by donkeys and carriages. The senses are higly challenged, especially the manyfold fragrances throughout the medina are overwhelming,” she said.

Due to her interest in spirituality, ancient traditions, contemporary culture, and the humanity that ties all these elements together, Knobloch was fascinated by the unique preservation of Fes’s medina.

“Fes still shines in its florid cultural identity,” she wrote, “full of authentic and pristine live, deep-rooted traditions, long-standing crafts, and cultural richness.” Knobloch captured the sights and people of Fes in black-and-white, a medium that draws the viewer’s attention to the complementary modern and ancient aspects of the city.

Through her photography, Knobloch hopes that the observer will be able to immerse themselves in the labyrinthine alleys and discover Fes’s mysterious charm. She said, “Soft breezes of amber, musk, cedarwood, marrocan mint, orange blossoms, oriantal spices and stronger odour of leather, chebakia and other deep fried street food are pervading the city.”

Knobloch continues: “Five times a day “Allahu Akbar” echoes through the Medina, the obligatory prayers of the muslims. If one stands on a higher position and overviews all the many minarets of the city, the different calls of the muezzins almost create a trance like atmosphere if one listens carefully and gets immersed. One of the most impressive mosques is the beautiful Al Quaraouiyine which also has been a university since its founding and therefore is the oldest university in the world. Up until today spiritual masters meet their disciples for discurs there.”

For more pictures on Fez by Victoria Knobloch click here