Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
Zellige mosaic workshop in Fes
Visit a working zellige atelier in Ain Nokbi, on the edge of the Fes medina, and see glazing, hand-cutting and face-down assembly under one roof. Then you sit at a cutting block and make a small mosaic to take home. Allow about 2.5–3.5 hours. It suits anyone curious about the tilework in the madrasas.
- Private or small-group
- A local guide with you
- Quoted for your dates
What it's like
Zellige is the cut-tile mosaic that covers the fountains, walls and floors of Fes, from the madrasas to the riad courtyards. It is made the slow way. Squares of terracotta are glazed and fired, then a cutter, the maallem, traces a shape and chips each piece out by hand with a sharp-edged hammer. Hundreds of these small pieces are then laid face-down into a pattern, and the back is filled with mortar so the panel can be lifted and set.
This workshop takes you into an atelier where the whole process happens under one roof. You see the glazing, the cutting and the assembly, learn how the star patterns are built from a handful of basic shapes, and then sit down at a cutting block to make a small piece of your own to take home.
Best for: Design and architecture lovers; Families with children of about eight and up; Anyone thinking of buying zellige who wants to understand what they are paying for.
- How long
- About 2.5–3.5 hours
- Where
- A working zellige atelier in the Ain Nokbi craft quarter, on the edge of the Fes medina
- How active
- Gentle, little walking
- Families
- Children welcome
Every piece of the madrasas' zellige was cut by hand, like this.
Al-Attarine Madrasa, FesHow it runs
A typical running order. Timings shift with your group, the season and the day of the week.
0:00
Arrive at the atelier
Your guide brings you to the workshop and introduces the stages of the craft over mint tea.
0:15
Clay, glaze and kiln
See the raw terracotta squares, the glazes in their colours and the kiln where they are fired.
0:45
Watch the cutters
The cutters trace shapes on the glazed face and chip each piece free with a hammer, angling the edges so the pieces lock together.
1:15
Assembly, face-down
See how a panel is laid upside down from the centre of the pattern outwards, then backed with mortar.
1:45
Your own small mosaic
With an artisan at your side, cut a few simple pieces and set a small panel or coaster. It is harder than it looks.
2:45
Showroom, no pressure
See finished tables, fountains and panels. Buying is entirely optional and large pieces can be shipped.
Up close
The maallem's hammer
A short, double-edged hammer used to chip each tile piece to shape. The bevelled edge is what lets pieces sit tight against each other.
Face-down assembly
Panels are built upside down, so the artisan works from memory of a pattern he cannot see until the panel is turned over.
Geometric stars
The eight-, twelve- and sixteen-pointed star designs of Fes are built from a small set of repeating cut shapes.
Private or small-group
Private
Just your party with a guide and an artisan, with as much hands-on time as you want. Can be combined with the pottery workshop on the same visit.
Small-group
A guided atelier visit with a few other travellers, including a short hands-on cutting session for each guest.
Practical notes
Wear closed shoes; there are tile chips on the workshop floor. Protective glasses are provided for the cutting step. Children are welcome but should be old enough to use a light hammer with an adult beside them.
Good to know
Your small mosaic needs a little time for the mortar to set before travel. Shopping is never part of the deal; there is no obligation to buy. The workshop is outside the walls, so we arrange a short transfer from the medina.
Before you knock
The questions people ask us most before they plan a trip.
What is zellige?
Can I make my own zellige in Fes?
Can I ship a zellige table or fountain home?
Pair it with
Pottery at Ain NokbiClay, kick wheel, kiln and the cobalt 'Fes blue': see the whole ceramic process in the potters' quarter and throw a bowl of your own.See how it runs
Calligraphy workshopCut a reed pen, mix the ink and learn to write your name in Maghrebi script, then see the great Kufic inscriptions of the Fes madrasas with new eyes.See how it runs
Leather & tanneriesLook down on the dye pits of the Chouara tannery, then follow the leather to a workshop where it is cut and stitched into bags and babouches.See how it runsRead before you go: Fes artisans and crafts, Pottery workshop in Ain Nokbi, Fes artisan workshops tour: zellige, pottery and brass.
Send your dates. We'll fit this into your Fes days.
- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.