Fundouks are the town equivalent of the caravanserai of the desert. They are for visiting merchants, or at least their muleteers and camel drivers, to stay with their goods whilst their baggage animals can be kept safe in the courtyard. There were several in the city in the middle ages in each neighbourhood ,for each trade. They were described by Leo Africanus who states that even at that time the largest space was given to traders in leather goods. even today we accept the quality of the leather in the leather bound books are still referred to as having moroccan bindings.
Some of the fundouks are run down but some are brilliantly restored thanks to the UNESCO and charitable funding. Some house craft collectives.
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