Bab el-Mrissa, City gate in Salé, Morocco
Bab el-Mrissa is a city gate in Salé featuring a large horseshoe-shaped arch measuring about 9.60 meters (31 feet) in height and about 3.50 meters (11 feet) across. Internal passages run through the structure and originally allowed guards to oversee the medieval defense system.
The gate was built between 1270 and 1280 after a Marinid sultan regained Salé from Castilian rule. This construction reinforced control over the city following a significant military recovery of the territory.
The gate blends architectural styles from three different medieval periods, reflecting the craftsmanship of stonemasons who worked in Salé. You can see how these different influences come together in the carved details throughout the structure.
You can walk through the internal passages to understand how the medieval defense system worked. The gate is easily accessible on foot from the city center and fits naturally into a walking tour of Salé.
The gate once connected to a water channel that allowed ships to pass directly into the city from the river system. This maritime link made it a crucial point in medieval sea trade for the region.
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