Unique 11th-century tannery in Morocco
Category

Sightseeing

Age requirement

All ages

Message from Irene Pila

The Concerie Chaouwara is a site not to be missed. Comprising the largest and oldest functioning Tannery in Morocco, the Concerie has held operating since the 11th century, making it an ancient historical gem throughout Fes and in Morocco. The three main Tanneries located here are Sidi Moussa, Ain Azliten, and thefocus of this article, Dar Dbagh al-Chouara, referred to as the "Tanning House". Here, animal skins and hides are stripped of hair, degreased, salted, and soaked within an array of processing liquids and dyes which can be seen from the surrounding terraces resembling a tray of watercolours. Meanwhile, men are employed under the hot sun, waist-deep in dyeing pots, providing a truly remarkable look into the traditional leather-tanning processes that still occur today. Providing visitors with educational experiences, photo ops, and cultural delicacies to bring home, the Concerie Chaouwara makes for an enjoyable and memorable experience.

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