​VICTORIA KNOBLOCH

Fès                                                                                                                 

 

Fès is one of the most spiritual cities of the Arab world and has the best-preserved old town called Medina. Therefore Fès still shines in it's florid cultural identity: full of authentic and pristine live, deep rooted traditions, long-standing crafts and cultural richness.
 

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. 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. 5 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.

 

One finds many arabesques and oriantal ornamentations in the many mosques and other buildings through the whole city. They can be seen as symbolic ornaments of arab culture. They are beautiful by and out of themselves. Their sight is everything and nothing. They have no purpose, they point to nothing but themselves and that itself makes their enchanting beauty. As representations of the divine infinity they refuse concreteness, since the believe in concreteness is the biggest error in the thought of men. Therefore the more one looses oneself in the richness of these ornaments and one gets immersed in the depth of them one merges in the infinite of creation which is beauty and beauty is love and love is the divine. So I invite you to get lost in the many labyrinthine alleys of Fès and enjoy the city's  ancient and mysterious charm  which must never be revealed because it fulfils its spirit in remaining secretive.