Khan el-Franj

Beautifully restored 17th-century Ottoman caravanserai with arcaded courtyard

The Khan el-Franj is the most impressive of Sidon's surviving Ottoman buildings. Two storeys of vaulted galleries surround a large rectangular courtyard with a central fountain — exactly the type of structure that once housed merchants, their goods, and their pack animals on the long routes between the Levant and Europe. The lower level was for stables and storage; the upper rooms were lodgings.

The building has been carefully restored and is open to visitors free of charge. Inside, the French Cultural Centre, a small handicraft cooperative, and rotating art exhibitions occupy some of the cells. The courtyard with its arcades is one of the most photogenic spots in the old city, and a quiet contrast to the bustle of the souks just outside.

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A story
Khan el-Franj — the Inn of the Foreigners — was built by Fakhreddine II in the early 17th century to host French merchants trading in silk and cotton. It was the heart of Sidon's commercial life for two centuries. In the 19th century it became the French consulate, and during the civil war it sheltered displaced families. Today it houses cultural institutions and a small handicraft centre.

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