Fondouk El-Nejjarine, which means Inn of the Carpenters in Arabic, is a traditional inn located in the Medina of Fez, Morocco right in the centre at El-Nejjarine Square, one of the oldest parts of the medina and where is the Nejjarine Fountain. The building is a great example of Morroccan riad architecture and was designed to serve traders, marchants and visitors who passed through Fez and needed a storage place. Nowadays it serves as a museum, the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts.
Also known as Musée du Bois, the XIX century building was transformed into a museum in 1916 and restored in 1988. The caravanserai follows the typical Moroccan architecture of this type of building, which usually are rectangular or in a square shape around an inner courtyard. It has two floors that exhibit carved wooden arches and wooden art crafts, remembering that in Moroccan culture woodwork is both an artistic expression and part of the Islamic tradition, therefore passed from generation to generation. Most of works include are in oak, acacia, cedar and mahogany. Besides Fez, Marrakesh, Meknes, Essaouira and Tetouan also keep it strong.
The fondouk was commissioned by a magistrate (amin) called Adiyil in 1711 and the attached saqayya (fountain) was commissioned later by sultan Abd al-Rahman, who ruled between 1822 and 1859. The building served as a warehouse for merchants and it worked closely with the government, keeping its function until de beginning of the 20th century. It is worth to also check out the Fondouk Sagha in the northern of Fez, which was also built in 1711 and has similar decorative and architecture style as Fondouk El-Nejjarine.
In 1916 it was transformed into a national historic monument and during the French occupation in 1940 it was used as police station. Restorations took place between 1990 and 1996 and in 1988 the building reopened its doors as the Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts & Crafts.
The building is rectangular and the beautiful entrance is a gate 5 meters high and 3 meters wide. The facade is decorated with geometrical and floral patterns, inscriptions written in tilework and stucco, and a wood carved canopy. The entrance leads to the lobby and a central rectangular courtyard surrounded by a gallery that gives access to other rooms, although dorms are located on the upper floors.
Regarding the fountain, even though it was built years later of the construction of the fondouk, it is intrinsically related to it and is part of its structure. It is located in front of the building, in the centre of the square and it was used for drinking water, especially by the guests at the caravanserai. The fountain is made by two columns and decorated with tiles and stucco, and contains a carved wooden canopy.
Fondouk El-Nejjarine is just one of the great attractions you can see in the medina of Fez, listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and one of the most incredible places you can visit in Morocco. The medina was founded in the IX century and has more than nine thousand alleys, which means that there are endless options and interesting things. You can visit the buzzling stands and shops during the day, as the monuments, and also visit in the night and find a different place, full of smells and that seems to never sleep. Get ready for a strong cultural representation and experience that won’t disappoint you.
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