Fez, home to a flourishing Jewish community during the 17th century, was also the location of two well known temples, Rabbi Shlomo Ibn Danan Synagogue, built and founded by the Ibn Danan family, and the nearby Mansano Synagogue. (...)
Fez, home to a flourishing Jewish community during the 17th century, was also the location of two well known temples, Rabbi Shlomo Ibn Danan Synagogue, built and founded by the Ibn Danan family, and the nearby Mansano Synagogue. The Ibn Danan synagogue’s mellah, the Jewish quarter located at the back of the building, used to be the largest in Morocco and served a population of over 22,000. Both synagogues contained notable interiors. The Ibn Danan building is influenced by Islamic and Moroccan design, with wooden ark doors tooled with stucco decoration and surrounded by a Moroccan-style patterned tiled border. The seating in the synagogue is painted with geometric patterns common to Islamic architecture. A wrought-iron cage used to hold scrolls, known as a tevah, is detailed with curlicues and connects to a filigree screen with Moorish arches. These interior furnishings are original and, like the overall structure of the Ibn Danan synagogue, are still intact.
