The Funduq al-Tetwaniyyin (
Arabic: فندق التطوانيين,
lit. 'caravanserai of the people of
Tetouan'),[a] also known as the Funduq al-Staouniyine,[b][6][7] is a historic funduq (caravanserai) in
Fes el-Bali, the old city of
Fes,
Morocco.
Historical background
The funduq is located next to the
al-Qarawiyyin Mosque, facing its northeastern corner and close to the
Mesbahiyya Madrasa.[1][3] It was founded in the 14th century during the
Marinid era, probably around the same time as the construction of the
al-Attarine Madrasa by Sultan
Abu Sa'id Uthman II, making it one of the oldest funduqs in Fes.[2][1][8] It was probably called Funduq er-Ridā' in the medieval period.[2]
Funduqs were a type of urban caravanserai in Morocco which served as an inn and commercial center for trade, providing services and accommodations for merchants and travelers from outside the city. Some funduqs were also occupied by artisans and manufacturers instead of merchants, but the Staouniyyin Funduq was solely for merchants.[1] The name Tetwaniyyin means "people from
Tetouan" (a city in northern Morocco), suggesting that merchants in Fes were historically grouped together by origin.[1]
The building was classified as a national monument in 1925.[8] It was more recently restored, along with a number of other funduqs, by the ADER-Fes heritage preservation agency, and reopened in March 2019 as a cultural and commercial center for artisans, with some modern amenities added.[9][10]
Architecture
The funduq has a typical layout that matches other caravanserais in Morocco and in
NasridGranada at the time, consisting of a courtyard surrounded by a multi-storied gallery that gives access to rooms arranged across its three floors.[8] It has a usable
floor area (after recent restorations) of 437
square metres.[11] The galleries are supported by wooden
lintels resting on square pillars, and are lined with wooden mashrabiya-like railings or
parapets.[8] The ground floor was most likely used for storage of animals and merchandise, and was the site of trading and commerce, while the upper floors were for sleeping accommodations.[8]
The building is also noted for its vestibule, which has a ceiling of carved and painted wood featuring geometric and floral motifs, as well as an
Arabic inscription carved in
Kufic script.[8][1] The woodcarving of the corbels on the courtyard side of the vestibule is especially sophisticated and is among the finest surviving examples from the Marinid period.[5]
Carved woodwork in the vestibule
Wooden ceiling of the vestibule, with elements of original Marinid-era woodwork
^The name is
transliterated in various ways by different authors, including: Fondok Tettawniyin[1]Fondouc at-Tattawiniyn[2]Fondouk Tattawiyin[3]Foundouk Tetouaniyine[4] and Funduq al-Tattawaniyyin.[5]
^
abcdefTouri, Abdelaziz; Benaboud, Mhammad; Boujibar El-Khatib, Naïma; Lakhdar, Kamal; Mezzine, Mohamed (2010). "III.1.f Stauniyin Funduq".
Andalusian Morocco: A Discovery in Living Art (2 ed.). Ministry of Cultural Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco & Museum With No Frontiers.
ISBN978-3902782311.