Gates of Fez
The Gates of Fez refer to the numerous gates in the city walls of historic Fez, Morocco. Historic Fez (typically referred to as the "medina") is divided into two cities: Fes el-Bali, the larger and older of the two, founded by the Idrisids in the late 8th to early 9th century; and Fes el-Jdid, a royal city founded by the Marinid dynasty in the 13th century. The city walls themselves underwent a complex evolution over the centuries, with multiple phases of expansion, destruction, and reconstruction affecting different parts of the city's outline. Likewise, the city gates vary greatly in design and date, ranging from heavily fortified defensive gates to simple openings in the walls today. 

This historic urban agglomeration of the Fez medina contains numerous historic palaces, mosques, mansions, tanneries, and madrasas. Fes el-Bali was historically divided into 18 districts and Fes el-Jdid into 7 Muslim districts and a Jewish Mellah, with each neighbourhood typically having its own places of worship, schools, baths, and other public facilities. The walls marked both the physical and symbolic limits of the city (and sometimes also of its subdivisions), and as such the gates themselves could acquire added social or political significance. The city's major cemeteries are also located just outside the main city gates; in particular Bab Ftouh, Bab Mahrouk, and Bab Guissa.

Gates of Fez

Gates of Fes el-Bali 

Bab Mahrouk: It was first constructed in the early 13th century during the rule of Muhammad al-Nasir, in Almohad architectural style. It exists alongside the Bab Mahrouk Cemetery and Kasbah An-Nouar. Its name means "Gate of the Burnt".
Bab Bou Jeloud: The main western entrance to Fes el-Bali, and an iconic monument of the medina of Fez. It was built in 1913 at the beginning of French colonial rule, replacing an older and more modest gate of the same name.
Bab Chorfa: The gate to the Kasbah An-Nouar, a citadel at the western end of Fes el-Bali. Its current form dates from the Alaouite era. The name means the "Gate of the Sharifs".
Bab Chems: This simple gateway is located at the western end of Place Bou Jeloud and at the eastern end of the walled corridor leading from the Old Mechouar and Fes el-Jdid. It was probably opened in the late 19th century when Moulay Hassan built the corridor. "Bab Chems" is a French transliteration of Bab (al-)Shams, Arabic for "Gate of the Sun". The name probably came from a small garrison post or fort nearby, just to the west, called Kasbah ech-Chems (or Kasbah ash-Shams).
Bab Ftouh: One of the main gates of Fes el Bali, located on its southeastern side. It dates from the Almohad period. Near it is the Bab Ftouh Cemetery and the Kasbah Tamdert.
Bab Guissa: The main northwestern gate of Fes el Bali, dating from the 12th century (Almohad period). The original monumental gate, still standing, has a bent entrance, but a small side gate was later opened to provide easier direct access today. Next to it is the Bab Guissa Mosque.
Bab el-Hadid: This gate is located in the southwestern part of the city walls. Before the 20th century, this area of the old city was not densely built up and was mainly occupied by gardens and mansions for the wealthier people of Fes. As a result, no major roads led to it for most of its history.
Bab Jdid: Meaning the "New Gate", this gate was located at the southern end of the city near the exit of the Oued Bou Khareb (the central river separating the Qarawiyyin and Andalous districts). Like Bab el-Hadid, it was not historically a major gate due to the sparsely inhabited land behind it. Today, the area of the former gate is crossed by the only major road that cars and buses can take into the central medina, leading to Place R'Cif.
Bab Sidi Bou Jida (or Bab Sidi Boujda): Possibly just a small gate today, this gate was located at the eastern end of the city and served as the outer entrance to the Keddane (or Keddan) district. The earliest gate in this area was originally called Bab Abi Sofyan.
Bab el-Hamra: Meaning the "Red Gate" (or perhaps "Gate of the Red Lady"), this gate was located a short distance west of Bab Ftouh, but by the 16th century it seems to have had already disappeared. Its name was preserved through the name of the Bab al-Hamra Cemetery, located inside the city walls and west of Bab Ftouh.
Bab Khoukha:  Also known as Bab Knisa ("Gate of the Church"), it lay at the eastern/southeastern end of the city, just northeast of Bab Ftouh. Like Bab al-Hamra, it had already disappeared by the 16th century, leaving only its name as a toponym in the area.

Gates of Fes el-Jdid 

Bab al-Amer: It was first constructed in 1276. It is the main western entrance to Fes el-Jdid and is located near the Jewish Quarter (Mellah).
Bab Semmarine: This gate is in Fes el-Jdid, near the Jewish Mellah, at the southern end of the Grande Rue of Fes el-Jdid.
Bab Dekkakin (or Bab Dekakene): Situated between the Old Mechouar (or "Vieux Méchouar") and the New Mechouar (or "Nouveau Méchouar"), facing the northeastern entrance to Dar al-Makhzen, the royal palace. It is also known as Bab es-Sebaa ("Gate of the Lion").
Bab Segma: Perhaps not a literal gate, this is the name of the passage between Kasbah Cherarda and the walls of the New Mechouar, granting access to Fes el-Jdid and its northern system of fortifications.
Bab Khibbat es-Smen: This is the northern entrance gate to the New Mechouar itself. The current gate dates from 1886, when Moulay Hassan built the adjoining Dar al-Makina.
Bab Bou Jat: The former western entrance to the Moulday Abdallah quarter of Fes el-Jdid, but closed off in modern times during the expansion of the Dar al-Makhzen grounds.
Bab Jiaf (or Bab Sidi Bou Nafa'): No longer standing today, this was an outer gate of Fes el-Jdid located just east of Bab Semmarine. The area of the former gate is now crossed by the main road for car traffic (Rue Bou Ksissat) that passes between the Mellah and Bab Semmarine. The name still survives as a toponym in the area, and one of the nearby Saadian bastions was named after it.
Bab Riafa (or Bab Jbala): This gate could be said to belong to Fes el-Jdid but, more precisely, it is located in the southern wall of the walled corridor built by Moulay Hassan in the 19th century to link Fes el-Jdid with Fes el-Bali. It was formerly the site of a post or small kasbah housing troops from the Rif mountain region in northern Morocco, hence the name meaning "Gate of the Rifians" (Bab Jbala means "Gate of the Mountain", presumably another reference to the Rif). A main road (Avenue de l'UNESCO) passes through a modern gateway there today.

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