The residence known as the Dar al-Alami was built in the 17th-18th century in the Guerniz area of Fez by the wealthy Buhlal family.
Its cruciform plan is centered around a simple courtyard paved with polychrome tiles and surrounded by rooms on two stories. The tiled ground floor rooms open onto the courtyard which contains a fountain and shaded sitting areas.
In the 19th century the masriyyah, an adjunct independent living quarter, was added to house honorable guests and/or the elder sons before their marriage. The unit has an independent access to the street but also communicates with the courtyard.
Source:
Revault et al. 1989. Palais et Demeures de Fes. Paris: Edition du Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique.
