Fondouk el-Nejjarine / Nejjarine Museum of Wooden Arts and Crafts, Fes (must see)

Holding court over Nejjarine Square is the Fondouk el-Nejjarine, a late-17th-century building that still seems to smell faintly of cedar and thuya wood. Back when camels were the delivery transport of choice, this was a high-end roadside inn where traders dealing in luxury goods checked in for the night. Today, after a careful restoration, it has reinvented itself as a museum devoted to woodworking—same craftsmanship, far fewer caravans. Inside, you can spot skilled artisans bent over finely carved tables, bed frames, and chairs, keeping techniques alive that have been passed down for generations.

As you move upstairs, the timeline quietly stretches. The first floor shows off cedar-wood friezes dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries—rich, detailed, and unapologetically elegant. One level higher, the story jumps forward to more recent creations, including a rabab, a traditional string instrument delicately inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

Still, the real showstopper here isn’t a single object. It’s the building itself: the proportions, the woodwork, the calm order of the courtyard. This is one of those places where the entrance ticket pays for itself simply by letting you wander. Officially listed as a historic monument in 1916 and later included within the UNESCO-protected Medina, the fondouk even throws in a bonus—sweeping views over the rooftops from its rooftop café.

Just outside, the Nejjarine Fountain steals its share of attention, covered in intricate zellij tiles and acting as the square’s visual anchor. Nearby, a large covered workshop adds a lively note to the scene, where richly decorated palanquins and ceremonial thrones are crafted—objects still used today for weddings and circumcisions. Taken together, this corner of the Medina feels less like a museum zone and more like a living chapter of Fes, where past and present keep working side by side.