Madrassat al-Founoun Wasana'a al-Islamiya is worth visiting for two reasons. The first is that the beautifully arched façade conceals a delightful, expansive two-tiered courtyard which is rich in history. Originally built as a school during the Ottoman period, it was transformed into a prison from 1911 until 1942 by the Italians, who gathered Libyan deportees here before exiling them; many never returned, as suggested by the moving sculpture near the courtyard's western end.
The tree opposite the entrance dates back to 1917. The other reason for visiting is that this is once again a school, where young Libyans are taught the traditional crafts of leatherwork, woodwork and pottery among other skills. If you're discreet, teachers and students alike usually don't mind if you watch them work.
