There are pics of the library and mosque, but have you ever wondered what’s inside the upper chamber of the minaret in Al-Qarawiyyin? A few years ago, I had the rare opportunity to go inside during a reporting assignment. Come check it out in this thread!
First you go up these carpeted stairs and here’s the view of the courtyard from the minaret.
Considering this is where the call for prayer is made, keeping track of time is super important. Which means clocks…lots of clocks. Old clocks and new clocks. And a handy air conditioner to deal with the notoriously hot summers of Fes.
Hanging on the wall are two worn tablets which are none other than the diplomas of Fatima and Maryam al-Fihri. Tucked away are also original excerpts from their exams.
Some of the stunning architectural detail in the room—but there’s more to this than just good lucks. In fact, it’s actually a water clock!
It’s a piece of ingenious hydraulic engineering that I won’t even embarrass myself by attempting to explain. What I do know is that a metal ball would drop into one of the brass cups, signaling the top of the hour. Very similar to the famous Dar al-Magana, about 1 km away.
And those are the highlights! Not sure what the access situation is today since I had to get authorization from the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs, but if you’re able to, it’s totally worth it.
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