Fes, Morocco· Concierge · Mon–Sat · 09:00–18:00 GMT+1
أبواب فاس
The ten gates of Fes
Fes has two walled cities side by side, the medina of Fes el-Bali and the Marinid town of Fes el-Jdid, and you enter both through gates. These are ten of them, each with its own page: who built it, what it looks like now, where it sits on the walls, and the walks from it.
- Fes el-Bali and Fes el-Jdid
- Every gate pinned on OpenStreetMap
- Every date sourced
The walls and their gates
Each pin is a gate on its OpenStreetMap point; open one for its page. The drawing is schematic: the walls are simplified through their gates.
Choose a gate
Each door is drawn from its gate: the arch, the facing, the towers and the tile. Open one for its history, where it is and the walks from it.
- باب أبي الجنودBab BoujloudBlue outside, green inside: the tiled gate of 1913.
- باب محروقBab MahroukAlmohad, 1204: the Gate of the Burnt.
- باب الكيسةBab GuissaNamed for an 11th-century emir; the way down to the Qarawiyyin.
- باب فتوحBab FtouhTwo towers and a straight passage onto the Andalusian bank.
- باب الخوخةBab KhokhaNamed for a wicket door; its history is disputed, its name lives on.
- باب سيد العوادBab Sidi LaouadThe R'cif way in, a few steps from the coppersmiths.
- باب جديدBab JdidThe New Gate, where the river leaves the medina.
- باب الحديدBab el-HadidThe Iron Gate, once opening onto gardens and mansions.
- باب السمارينBab SemmarineGate of the Farriers, Fes el-Jdid's southern door.
- باب الساكمةBab SegmaTwo octagonal Marinid towers that once carried an aqueduct.
Questions about the gates
What people ask us about the walls and their gates.
Which gate should I use to enter the Fes medina?
It depends where you are going. Bab Boujloud is the main western way in and the point where cars stop, at the top of the two main streets. Bab Guissa is about a 9-minute walk downhill from the Qarawiyyin, and Bab Ftouh is about 7 minutes from the Andalusian Mosque. Bab Jdid is one of the few gates where cars and buses can drive in, towards Place R'cif.
Which are the oldest gates of Fes?
Bab Mahrouk, built in 1204, and Bab Guissa are the two fortified gates of Fes el-Bali that keep their Almohad form. Bab Ftouh is also essentially Almohad and was restored in the 18th century. Bab Boujloud, the best known, was built in 1913.
Why do some gates turn a corner inside?
Several old gates, such as Bab Mahrouk and Bab Guissa, have a bent entrance that turns 90 degrees inside, a common defensive layout. Bab Ftouh is an exception, with a straight passage.
Do you need a ticket to see the gates?
No. They are working gates in the city walls, and you walk through them as you go in and out of the old city.
Can a tour start at one of the gates?
Yes. Our full-day medina walk and the food tour start at Bab Boujloud, and a private walk can start at whichever gate suits you. Ask for a quote with your dates.
Walk in through one gate and out through another. We'll plan the day.
- Tell us what drew you in. Your dates, who is travelling and what you want to see.
- A person reads it. We write a day-by-day plan for your group, private or small-group.
- You change anything. Then we confirm the guides, drivers and riads.