It smells unbearable, looks breathtaking and hasn’t changed in 1,000 years. Inside Chouara Tannery in Fez, Morocco’s most shocking, colourful and unforgettable tradition.
From surrounding rooftops, the scene looks almost unreal. Stone vats filled with vivid reds, yellows and browns stretch across an open courtyard. Below, workers move methodically, following routines unchanged for centuries, turning raw hides into something prized across continents. (Image-Canva)The process behind the smell is ancient and uncompromising. Animal hides are softened using quicklime, salt, cow urine and pigeon droppings. The method sounds shocking, but it produces leather renowned for its softness, durability and quality, a formula perfected over centuries. (Image-Canva)Visitors are not allowed inside the tannery itself; the vats belong solely to the workers. The best views come from surrounding leather shops, whose terraces overlook the courtyard. Morning visits are ideal when sunlight illuminates the dyes and the tannery is most active. (Image-Canva)Visitors and explorers lean over balcony rails and watch men standing thigh deep in bright liquids, lifting heavy skins, arms permanently stained from years of labour. The workers appear unfazed by the odour, pausing only briefly before returning to the relentless rhythm below. (Image-Canva)
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Tucked inside an ancient medina is a place famous worldwide for its unforgettable smell. This is Chouara Tannery, in Fez, Morocco, nearly 1,000 years old and still operating as it did in the 11th century. (Image-Canva)
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