Kairaouine mosque is one of the main monuments of Islamic religious architecture in Fes. The mosque, founded in 859 on the wealth of women Fatima, a refugee from the Turks, became the most majestic monument of the city.

The mosque has a total area of about 1600 square meters can accommodate simultaneously more than 20 thousand believers. Throughout its history the building was repeatedly reconstructed and increased. The most considerable reconstruction of the mosque took place in 1135-1142, during the reign of Sultan Ali, who donated for the mosque is one of the best in the Arab world Minbar.

Kairaouine mosque is the pillar of the mosque. Seventeen doors of the mosque displays a spacious patio, paved with black and white stone tiles. In the centre of the courtyard there is a beautiful marble pool for ritual ablutions, the edges you can see the gazebo, decorated with carved marble columns. The prayer hall is divided by seventeen columns on smooth naves. It's quite large and well organized. As for the ceiling of the mosque, he was executed in a very complex and unique techniques of a honeycomb - "makarna".

Domes are most notable for small and amazingly beautiful dome-tent, located in front of the mihrab and built in 1136-1143, Another equally beautiful stalactite dome serves as a memorial ornament of the mosque, which is connected with the prayer hall with three doors.

Near memorial hall is a famous library Jamiat al-Qarawiyin, established in 1349 by the initiative marineschule Sultan Abu Inan. Library for several centuries attracted scientists from many countries for its rich collection of manuscripts.

Kairaouine mosque became famous and well connected here to one of the oldest universities in the world. In the XII century there were 8 thousand students, so the University is still a major intellectual center of the Arab East.