Borj Nord

Borj Nord is a 16th-century Saadian fortress perched on a hill north of the Fès medina, inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. Built under Sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, it was designed not only to defend the city but — according to local tradition — to keep a watchful eye over the medina's own population. The fort now houses the Musée des Armes, a collection of several hundred weapons spanning the 14th to 20th centuries, including cannons and blades captured from the Portuguese at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir in 1578. Its elevated position commands a sweeping panorama over the rooftops and minarets of Fès el-Bali.