Bab El-Had

Bab El-Had
1- Bab Laalou 2- Bab El-had 3- Bab ar-Rouah 4- Bab Zaer

1- Bab Laalou

(The Gate of the Height), is about 500m away from the ocean. Barely decorated, it presents nevertheless an original four-bent plan that includes two parallel rooms, the second of which is open-air.

2- Bab El-had

(The Sunday Gate), gets its name from the weekly market the was once held in its surroundings. It is only gate of the almohad wall that still plays the role of a pathway, which leads to the southwest point of the madina.

3- Bab ar-Rouah

(the Departure Gate), is the largest gate of the almohad surrounding wall. Its decoration is rich and outstandingly executed ; it presents four rooms (originally bent) the first of which shows an interesting dome with a groove. It has since then been reconverted into an art gallery.

4- Bab Zaer

Is the only gate of the east side of the rampart ; it gives access to the road leading to the hinterland, occupied by the tribe of Zaeer. It is also the smallest gate and the moste reworked, especially in the 18th century by the Alawi sultan sidi Muhammad ben Abdellah (1757-1790). 

GPS Point

 

Despite being eight centuries old, the imposing almohad wall of Rabat still standing on its. Entire length. Built in the late twelfth century, in the continuity of the Oudaya qasbah (fortified military camp of the almohad period) and facing the madina (surrounded town) of Sala on the other bank of the river, It encloses the almohad « Ribat al-Fath » (Camp of conquest).

Conceived by the second almohad caliph abu Yaqub Yusuf (1163-1184) and completed by his son the caliph Yaqub al-Mansur (1184-1199), this surrounding wall  encloses a vast espace of more than 418 hectares, which was for its majority consisting of gardens and orchards, until the early twentieth century.

The almohad rampart is remarkably solid, itw as built earth mixed with lime of average thickness of 2.40 meters and a height of approximately 8 to 10 meters. It includes a round path of (1.35m wide), merlons with pyramidia and barlongue towers.

With the constuction of the New Town of Rabat in 1912, which had been raised to the rank of capital of the kingdom under the French Protectorate, openings have been made in the wall for the movement of vehicles.

General Plan