Florence Plaza, Fes

Florence Plaza, Fes

The new town of Fes, established by the French colonial administration in 1912, was planned around the Avenue Hassan II. At this time Avenue Hassan II briefly underwent a sea change and became Avenue de France. Later it changed back. A parkway runs between the traffic lanes. At the north end is the Place de la Resistance roundabout and fountain.

Going south on the avenue one encounters Florence Plaza (formerly Place Lyautey). The Florence Plaza is a broad tree-planted plaza. Buildings in the area show a mix of neo-Moorish, Art Deco and Neoclassical styles. On the south side of Florence Plaza is the Bank al-Maghrib, built in 1931 by architect Rene Canu.

On the east side, on Avenue Hassan II, is the Central Post Office building. The first post office was built in 1927 by architect Edmond Pauty. It was enlarged in 1947 by Emile Toulon. The Court of Appeals building, just south of the post office, was constructed in 1936.

The designers of the square were inspired by the form of the Baptistry of San Giovanni in Florence, Italy.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Fes. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Florence Plaza on Map

Sight Name: Florence Plaza
Sight Location: Fes, Morocco (See walking tours in Fes)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Fes, Morocco

Create Your Own Walk in Fes

Create Your Own Walk in Fes

Creating your own self-guided walk in Fes is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Fes Old Town Walking Tour

Fes Old Town Walking Tour

North and west of the fabled Atlas Mountains of North Africa is the ancient city of Fes, or Fez. It is centered on the Fes River.

In the year 789 Idris I founded the city and the Idrisid dynasty. The city was two settlements on either side of the river. In the 11th century, Sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin established Almoravid rule. He united the settlements into Fes el-Bali. The Almoravids were...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Fes New Town Walking Tour

Fes New Town Walking Tour

Created by the French in the early 20th century, Ville Nouvelle (New Town) is a relatively modern central district of Fez. A far cry from the sensory overload provided by the old Medina, this neighborhood was originally designed to accommodate foreigners and affluent Moroccans only.

Still, Fez's Ville Nouvelle is as much 'real' Morocco as any donkey-packed lane in the old city....  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles