Fez is like the city version of the rule that if you are youngest of siblings, you will alway be the little one. Even now, more than 700 years after it was begun this new Fez is still "new", or "jedid" in Arabic.
The new Fez was a planned city, ordered constructed by the Merenids. It took only 3 years to build, finished by 1273. The administration of the Merenids could operate in safety from the Fassis, who objected strongly to the new dynasty.
In the 14th century, the Mellah or Jewish ghetto was built right to the west, and inside the same city walls.
With the next dynasty, that of the Saadians, el-Jedid fell into decline. In the 20th century, the French turned large parts of the el-Jedid into a red light district. Today, the el-Jedid has an empty feeling to it, there are considerably less people in the streets and far less shops than in both the The modern town and the Bali.
