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A 1,000-year-old leather tannery with 200 colorful dyeing vats - a feast for the eyes and nose.
About this experience
The Chouara Tannery is one of Fes's most iconic and unforgettable sights - the world's oldest surviving leather tannery, operating continuously for over a thousand years using the exact same methods passed down through generations. From the surrounding terraces (leather shops that let you view for free), you'll witness a stunning palette of over 200 colorful stone dyeing vats filled with workers soaking, treating, and dyeing hides. The process is remarkably ancient: cow, camel, goat, and sheep hides are first soaked in a mixture of cow urine, pigeon droppings, and quicklime to soften them and remove hair. They are then rinsed in freshwater wells before being dyed using natural ingredients - poppy for red, indigo for blue, saffron for yellow, henna for orange, and mint for green. The smell is famously intense; shops provide fresh mint leaves to hold under your nose. Workers move between the vats like dancers, a scene unchanged for a millennium. The adjacent leather souk sells high-quality bags, belts, jackets, and babouche (leather slippers) - expect to bargain starting at 1/3 of the asking price. The Chouara Tannery alone produces over 100,000 hides annually, supplying leather artisans throughout Morocco[citation:4][citation:7][citation:8].
Insider Tips
- The smell is intense - you WILL be given mint leaves to hold under your nose[citation:4]
- Viewing is free from leather shop terraces - no need to pay anyone
- Shop owners expect polite browsing even if you don't buy[citation:4]
- Visit early for the best light hitting the dye vats
- Wear clothes you don't mind potentially smelling - the scent lingers
Best Time to Visit
Best experienced during: Morning 9-11 AM, Late morning, Spring, Autumn