Khans

 Khan A-Shawarda

Khan A-Shawarda (the Merchants’ Inn) was apparently built by Dahar Al-Omer in the 18^th century. The khan has a square courtyard with the remains of a manger in the center.

During the period of British mandatory rule openings were made in the courtyard of the khan for traffic. The site of the khan is thought to be the site of a monastery of the Clarissan Nuns during the Crusader Period. It is said that when the Moslems took over the city the nuns deliberately mutilated themselves, cutting off their noses, in order not to fall in the hands of the conquerors. (Mondrill spoke of this in 1697).

Khan A-Shuna

At a distance of some 30 meters northeast of Khan Al-Omdan the oldest inn of Acre still stands – Khan A-Shuna (the Inn of the Barns). Arabic text on the gate tells of its renewal and repair in the days of Dahar Al-Omer. The inn is unique in that large sections of it, primarily the ground floor, are the original sections from the Crusader Period.

Khan Al-Omdan

A large merchants’ inn near the port, which was used for international trade. Merchants who arrived at the port unloaded their goods at the storerooms of the inn on the first floor and stayed in the rooms of the second floor, which constituted a unique hotel.

The khan was built in the late 18^th century by Ahmed El-Jazer and rests on a series of granite columns that were brought from various sites in the area. The courtyard of the khan is open to visitors during all hours of the day.

Khan Al-Faranj

Khan Al-Faranj was built in the middle of the 16^th century by French merchants in a location that served as the central courtyard of the Venetian quarter during the Crusader Period.

This is Acre’s oldest remaining khan. It was named for the French merchants who built it and lived in it. The activity of French merchants in Acre reached its apex in the late 18^th century, until they were banished from the city by Jazar Pasha in 1791. After they were banished, Pasha took over the cotton trade, which had been controlled by the French merchants in a virtually monopolistic manner. In the early 18^th century the governor of Acre resided in Khan Al-Faranj, after moving there for security reasons in order to be able to keep a watchful eye on the French merchants and to collect taxes from them more efficiently.

A school currently operates in one of the wings of the khan.

The courtyard of the khan is open to the public.

Old Acre
Development Company