Tala'a Kebira

The street is historically the main souk (market) street of Fes. Another street, Tala'a Seghira, serves a similar role and runs more or less parallel to Tala'a Kebira: from Bab Bou Jeloud in the west until rejoining Tala'a Kebira in the Ain Allou area in the east between the Chrabliyine Mosque and Place Nejjarine. Although Tala'a Kebira is one of the broadest and straightest streets across the medina, like other streets in the old city its path is partly determined by the terrain of the valley in which Fes was built. As a result, it still bends and winds to some extent in order to follow a gentler slope where possible. The souk streets themselves constitute the main commercial axes of the city and are home to most of its foundouks (inns for merchants). As a result, merchants and foreign visitors rarely had need to wander outside these areas and most of the streets branching off them lead only to local residential lanes (often called derbs), many of them leading to dead-ends. Even today, tourists are generally found only on these main commercial thoroughfares. The city's most important monuments and institutions are also located on or near its main souk streets. == Description of the street: from west to east ==

. . , from above the street roofing. The visible minarets are those of the Bou Inania Madrasa (left) and the Sidi Lazzaz Mosque (right).|alt= From Bab Bou Jeloud to Ain Allou At its western end, Tala'a Kebira theoretically begins at, or is aligned with, Bab Mahrouk (historically the main western gate of the city) and passes in front of the southern walls of the Kasbah an-Nouar on the northern edge of Place Bou Jeloud. The street here is roofed over and the district is guarded at either end by gates which, in earlier eras, could be locked by guards at night. On the south side of the street, near the western entrance of the Souq al-Attarine, is the entrance to the Souq al-Henna, the traditional Henna Market (which sold other beauty and hygiene products as well) in a small square with trees. Next to this square was the location of the Maristan of Sidi Frej, a former medieval hospital and hospice now occupied by a commercial foundouk. Slightly west of the square is another larger square known as Place Nejjarine, named after the carpenters (al-Najjariyyin'') established on its northern side, also near Tala'a Kebira. The Kissaria (a name also used in other parts of the Islamic world and sometimes transliterated as qaysariyya) has been established here since the early Idrisid period of the city. The most recent renovations, in 2016 and 2017, replaced the street roofs with new wooden roofs, made various repairs and practical improvements, and added tile decoration along the lower walls. Tala'a Kebira street finally ends, along with the Souq al-Attarine, in front of the entrance to the Madrasa al-Attarine. At this point the street forms a T-junction, with one road going north towards Bab Guissa, while to the south is the road passing alongside the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and down towards the Bou Khrareb River. == List of historic monuments along Tala'a Kebira ==

The following is a list of notable historic buildings located on Tala'a Kebira street or just off it, from west to east. • Bab Bou Jeloud (just south of the street's entrance) • Bou Inania Madrasa • Dar al-Magana • Chrabliyine Mosque • Ain al-Kheil Mosque (a short distance north of the street) • Souq al-Attarine (occupying the eastern section of the street itself) • Maristan of Sidi Frej (on a square directly south of the street) • Zawiya of Moulay Idris II (just south of the street and of the Maristan) • Kissaria al-Kifah (south side of the street) • Diwan Mosque (a short distance north of the street) • Al-Attarine Madrasa • Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque/University (located near the eastern end of the street) == References ==