Great Mosque of Fes el-Jdid

The mosque was founded around 1276 by the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf, at the same time as he founded a new royal city, Fes el-Jdid ('New Fez'). Fes el-Jdid was created as a fortified palace and administrative city, separate from Fes el-Bali ('Old Fez'), from which the Marinid dynasty ruled over Morocco. One historical chronicle claims that the mosque's construction was funded in part by olive oil production in Meknes and that labour was provided by Christian prisoners captured in al-Andalus (present-day Spain). In 1320, Sultan Abu Sa'id built a madrasa near the mosque, the Madrasa Fes Jdid or Madrasa Dar al-Makhzen. However, it was never able to compete with the prestige of the madrasas in Fes el-Bali and was later absorbed by the expanding Royal Palace. Sultan Abu Inan is believed to have been buried in a tomb adjoining the mosque upon his death in 1358, although this is not fully confirmed. The Rawd al-Qirtas, a 14h-century chronicle, mentions that one of the sons of Abu Yaqub Yusuf, named Abu Muhammad 'Abd al-Mu'min, was buried in a courtyard on the south side of the mosque in 1293, which suggests that a funerary site developed around the mosque early on. == Architecture ==

The mosque's overall layout reflects the "T-plan" that became standard in western (Maghrebi) mosques in the Almohad period. The domed chamber is richly decorated with carved stucco and with zellij tile mosaic along its lower walls, and the dome has muqarnas squinches.). == Madrasa of Fes el-Jdid ==

In 1320 Sultan Abu Sa'id built a madrasa in Fes el-Jdid just south of the Grand Mosque which became known as the Madrasa Fes Jdid or Madrasa Dar al-Makhzen. ==See also==