The Medina of Fez is a UNESCO World Heritage site. According to UNESCO, it preserves the capital founded by the Idrisid dynasty between 789 and 808, and it is one of the most extensive and best-conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world. Fez is home to mosques, madrasas, palaces, and the old tanneries that still use traditional methods.
Preserving Islamic architecture in a living city is a practical challenge. Old buildings are still in daily use, so conservation must deal with structural decay, traffic, tourism pressure, and the needs of residents. Core skills include documentation, traditional masonry and woodwork, materials science, and heritage law.
Students can compare methods with desert architecture in Dubai and with general architecture degrees programmes. Islamic art in the wider region is covered in work on Central Asian Islamic art, and another heritage archaeology case is available in Mediterranean archaeology.

