Borj Nord and Museum of Arms

Borj Nord is a 16th-century fortress on the hill above Fes el-Bali, in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region, built in 1582 by the Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur al-Dhahabi to guard the medina and to keep watch over the city's population. Together with its twin, Borj Sud, on the opposite hillside, it was intended to dominate Fes el-Bali with artillery. The fort is a rectangular stone structure with thick walls, bastions and a large inner courtyard, and it commands one of the best views of the medina, the Merenid Tombs and the surrounding hills. Since the 1960s the fortress has housed the Museum of Arms, a collection of weapons from Morocco and from elsewhere in the Mediterranean and Europe, spanning prehistoric tools to firearms of the 19th and 20th centuries. Exhibits include swords, daggers, muskets, pistols, cannon, armour and ammunition, displayed in rooms around the courtyard and within the stone vaults. Visitors can see Moroccan flintlock guns decorated with silver and engraved metal, which reflect local craftsmanship, as well as ceremonial pieces. The building has been restored to serve as a museum, although some areas remain sparse. The approach is by road or a steep walk uphill from the medina's northern edge, and the site sits close to the Merenid Tombs, which makes it practical to visit both together. A small entry fee applies, and opening hours should be confirmed at the gate, since closures can occur. The ramparts and terraces offer the main appeal for many visitors, and the fortress shows how the Saadians, who rose in the 16th century, secured their hold over a city that had been the Merenid capital.