Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 0535 63 41 16; Rue de la Musée, Batha; admission Dh10; 8.30am-noon & 2.30-6pm Wed-Mon)
Housed in a wonderful 19th-century summer palace and converted to a museum in 1916,
the Batha Museum houses an excellent collection of traditional Moroccan arts and crafts.
Historical and artistic artefacts include fine woodcarving,
zellij
and sculpted plaster, much
of it from the city's ruined or decaying
medersas
. It also has some fine Fassi embroidery,
colourful Berber carpets and antique instruments.
The highlight of the museum is the superb ceramic collection dating from the 14th cen-
tury to the present. These are some fantastic examples of the famous blue pottery of Fez.
The cobalt glaze responsible for the colour is developed from a special process discovered
in the 10th century.
The museum's Andalucian-style garden offers temporary respite from the bustle and
noise of the medina, and the spreading holm oak provides a backdrop for the open-air
concerts held here during the Sacred Music and Sufi Culture festivals.
Chaouwara Tanneries
(Derb Chaouwara, Blida)
The Chaouwara tanneries are one of the city's most iconic sights
(and smells). Head east or northeast from Pl as-Seffarine and take the left fork after about
50m; you'll soon pick up the unmistakable waft of skin and dye that will guide you into
the heart of the leather district (the touts offering to show you the way make it even harder
to miss).
It's not often possible to get in among the tanning pits themselves, but there are plenty
of vantage points from the surrounding streets, all occupied (with typical Fassi ingenuity)
by leather shops. Each shop has a terrace that allows you to look over the action. Try to
get here in the morning when the pits are awash with coloured dye. Salespeople will hap-
pily give an explanation of the processes involved and will expect a small tip in return or,
even better, a sale. While this might feel a little commercialised, you probably won't find
a better selection of leather in Morocco, and prices are as good as you'll get.
In recent years, there have been plans mooted to move the tannery out of the medina al-
together and redevelop the site as a green area. However, with both the economic and cul-
tural impact of the plans for this district of the medina remaining uncertain, it remains to
be seen whether these ideas will ever leave the drawing board.
NEIGHBOURHOOD
