To reintegrate it into the urban economic fabric of the old city in Tangier
Restoration: The objective is to allow this economic and historical structure to recover its original architecture, while helping to offer merchants and beneficiary merchants better working conditions and to promote the tourist attractiveness of its site.
Always considered one of the most dynamic commercial spaces in Tangier, Fendaq Chejra will benefit from a major redevelopment and restoration project for its entire site. Thus, with an overall budget of some 29.2 million dirhams, a call for tenders has just been launched by the Agency for the Promotion and Development of the North (APDN) in partnership with the wilaya of the region Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima and its local partners for the realization of this project. The objective of all the stakeholders is to give new life to Fendaq Chejra thanks to works of “restoration, rehabilitation and cleaning of the various entities of the site as well as the upgrading of the shops and their reorganization”, said find out in a press release from the APDN.
First space built outside the ramparts
This project, which is part of the royal program for the redevelopment and restoration of the medina, saves Fendaq Chejra, considered the first commercial space built outside the ramparts of the old city, from loss. Especially since this site is in a state of advanced dilapidation requiring “upgrading to reintegrate it into the urban economic fabric of the old city with several historic buildings representative of the architectural heritage of Tangier, such as the Cervantes theater, the Jewish cemetery, the walls, the Minzah hotel and many others”, explains the same source.
Rediscover its original architecture
The Fendaq Chejra site is intended, thanks to this project, to recover its original architecture which distinguishes it from the many neighboring historic buildings. It will thus be restored to an identical state and equipped with equipment well suited to its purpose in order to offer “current shopkeepers and merchants better working conditions and different sales areas including also sales areas for terroir and crafts in order to ensure a better tourist attractiveness to the site like Dar Debagh”, we report.
Pending the completion of the entire project, the merchants of Fendaq Chejra will as a whole be transferred to the new covered market of Dradeb. “A census of all traders has been made in order to relocate them after the works”, we know.
The site will have several other architectural assets such as a square/mirador of Fendaq Lkhoudra as well as the new roof of Fendaq Chejra. “This work will also allow the opening and access to the patio inaccessible to the public before. As for pedestrian traffic and the surroundings will be redeveloped in compliance with safety and hygiene standards.