Bab Bou Jeloud, City gate in Medina of Fez, Morocco
Bab Bou Jeloud is a city gate in the Medina of Fez, marking the entrance with bright blue tiles on its outer face and green tiles on its inner face. Three pointed horseshoe arches with geometric patterns create the distinctive structure that separates the outside from the old city's main thoroughfare.
The gate was built in 1913 during French colonial rule as a replacement for an older 12th-century entrance. This construction reflected efforts to reorganize and modernize the medina while maintaining its traditional character.
Craftspeople display traditional wares in shop stalls just inside the gate, and the smell of tagines cooking in nearby restaurants drifts through the narrow street beyond. The gate itself marks where the rhythm of the medina's daily commerce truly begins.
The gate sits at the start of Talaa Kebira street and is accessible from all sides of the medina. Expect crowds here at most times, so keep an eye on your belongings and allow extra time to move through the narrow passages.
Standing in the central arch, you can see the minarets of the Bou Inania Madrasa and Sidi Lazzaz Mosque rising above the old city roofline. This vantage point offers one of the clearest views of how densely the medina's structures are layered together.
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