Bab el-Khemis | |
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باب الخميس | |
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Former names | Bab Fes |
General information | |
Type | city gate |
Architectural style | Almoravid, Moorish, Moroccan |
Location | Marrakesh, Morocco |
Coordinates | 31°38′22.1″N 7°59′8.2″W / 31.639472°N 7.985611°W |
Completed | circa 1126 |
Bab el-Khemis ( Arabic: باب الخميس, lit. 'gate of Thursday') is the main northern gate of the medina (historic walled city) of Marrakesh, Morocco.
The gate is located in the northern/northeastern corner of the city walls and dates back to around 1126 CE when the Almoravid emir Ali ibn Yusuf built the first walls of the city. [1] [2] It was originally known as Bab Fes ("Gate of Fes"), but this name was apparently lost during the Marinid era. [1] The gate underwent a significant renovation in 1803–04 on the orders of Sultan Moulay Slimane, noted by a marble inscription found inside. [1] [3]
The gate's current name (el-Khemis) refers to the souk or open-air market which historically took place here every Thursday (al-Khamis in Arabic). [3] Nowadays, the market continues almost all week right outside the gate, [4] while a permanent flea market, Souk al-Khemis, has been constructed a few hundred meters to the north. [5] [6] Also just outside the gate is a qubba (domed mausoleum) housing the tomb of a local marabout or Muslim saint. [4]
The gate's outer entrance is flanked on either side by square bastions. The gate's passage originally consisted of a bent entrance which effected a single 90-degree turn; one entered the gate from the north and then exited westwards into the city. [1] [3] According to legend, the door leaves of the gate were brought from Spain by a victorious Yusuf ibn Tashfin. [4] [1] During the Almohad period, the gatehouse was expanded such that its passage effected three more right-angle turns before exiting southwards. This gave it a similar form and layout to several other major Almohad gates such as Bab er-Rouah. [3] The outline of the gate's original exit, now walled-up, can still be seen in its interior western wall. [3]
At some point in the 20th century, the inner wall of the passage was opened up to allow a straight passage directly through the gate in order to facilitate the heavy traffic in the area, resulting in the current form of the gate. [1]