Museum of Arms (Borj Nord)

The Museum of Arms is housed inside Borj Nord, a Saadian fortress built in 1582 by Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur on the hill above Fes el-Bali in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region. The fort was designed to oversee and control the medina, and its thick stone walls, vaulted rooms and open courtyard now serve as galleries. The museum was established in the 20th century and presents a broad collection of weapons from Morocco and other countries, spanning prehistoric stone tools to firearms of the 19th and 20th centuries. Displays include swords, daggers, lances, shields, armour, flintlock muskets and pistols, cannon and ammunition. Notable pieces include Moroccan long-barrelled guns decorated with silver, engraved metal and inlaid wood, which show the skill of local armourers, as well as European and Ottoman weapons that reached Morocco through trade, diplomacy and conflict. The collection is arranged broadly by type and period in a series of rooms around the courtyard, with explanatory labels mainly in Arabic and French. The building has been restored to function as a museum, although the presentation is modest and some areas feel sparse. The rooftop terraces and ramparts provide a panoramic view over the medina, and the nearby Merenid Tombs are a short walk. Visitors usually spend 45 to 60 minutes. The entry fee is around MAD 20, and opening hours should be confirmed at the gate. The setting itself illustrates the Saadian dynasty's military architecture and gives context for how the city was defended and governed in the 16th century.