Bab ar-Rwah, City gate in Rabat, Morocco
Bab ar-Rwah is a city gate in Rabat's fortified walls, featuring three nested semicircles on its outer face set within a rectangular frame decorated with intricate carved patterns. The passage inside contains four chambers connected by sharp 90-degree turns, built following the defensive layout principles of its time.
The gate was built by Almohad caliph Yaqub al-Mansur in the late 12th century and completed in 1197 as Rabat's walls were fortified. Its design reflected the need to control access to the city during a period of expansion and consolidation.
The entrance displays a Quranic verse carved into the stone frame, showing how religious words were woven into the building itself. This kind of inscription was typical of the period and remains one of the gate's most striking features.
The gate sits along the outer edge of Rabat's medina and is best viewed from the outside, though the interior passage is usually not open to visitors. Morning or late afternoon light works best for seeing the carved details clearly.
The original reddish stone of the gate has faded to grey over the centuries due to constant Atlantic winds and salt spray exposure. This color shift is a quiet reminder of how weather has shaped the structure since its completion.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
