Fatima al-Fihri

Fatima al-Fihri founded what is recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest continuously operating university.

Morocco Connection

In 859 CE, Fatima al-Fihri — a woman from Qairouan (Tunisia) who had settled in Fes — used her inheritance to found Al-Qarawiyyin. What began as a mosque evolved into one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the medieval Islamic world. Scholars who studied or taught there include Ibn Khaldun, Al-Idrisi, Maimonides, and Pope Sylvester II. The building itself, expanded by every dynasty that ruled Fes, is a palimpsest of Moroccan architectural history. The library, restored in 2016 by architect Aziza Chaouni, contains manuscripts dating to the 9th century, including a Quran written on camel skin.

Key Works

Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University (Fes, 859 CE)

Buildings on This Site