The document summarizes information about the historical gates of the Medina of Salé in Morocco. It discusses 7 gates: Bab Lemrissa, one of the largest built in the 13th century; Bab Sebta located in the north and formerly used for managing city affairs; Bab Bouhaja which was destroyed in the 1960s; Bab Dar Sinaa known as the shipyard gate which contained an arsenal; Bab Chofaa characterized by its design; Bab M'alqa overlooking the cemetery and sea; and Bab Al Khamis formerly called Bab Fez and the eastern entrance to the city. The gates provide a glimpse into Salé's strategic importance, cultural heritage, and history as a center of

1. The Medina of Salé
Presented to you by :
Hachami MedYassine

2. Introduction
• Salé was founded by the dynasty of Banu Ifran during the 10th century before it was taken over
by Almoravids in 1028.
• During the 11th century,thanks to its strategic position on the road connecting Rabat and Fès, the
town knew a real prospering period during the reign of Al Mohads and later Banu Marin (14th
century).
• During the 17th century, the mass influx of Moslems and Jews who were expelled from Spain
gave the city (the old Salé) a new vigour and put it in intensive rivalry with the neighbouring Rabat
(then called the New Salé).At that time, Salé was famous for its dynamic maritime activity. The
new migrants from Andalusia used it as center for their piracy activities. During the 18th century,
Salé became a business center which allowed the extension of its influence to remote regions.

3. Introduction
• By the19th century, this dominant business role of the city ended and
consequently became a city closed on itself. However, it remained during the 19th
century and the foreign protectorate era a center of cultural movement as well as
a base for the national movement against occupation.
• While the city of Salé was considered as a powerful maritime force and being the
cradle of the Arab-Andalusian culture, it is also considered as home of some
prominent families, famous scholars and leading personalities in resisting
movement against occupation .The various historical monuments in the city still
witness its glorious past.

11. Bab Lemrissa
• It is one of the biggest historical gates in Morocco. It was built by
the Marinid Sultan Abu Youssef Yaakoub bin Abdelhaq during the
period between 1270-1280, and the Sultan himself participated in
the construction work. According to Nassiri, an architect called
Mohamed bin Ali, who came from Sevilla, supervised the project
of a fortified port that could be also used as shipyard and
connected the city with Abu Regreg river.
• This port has a rock façade decorated with beautiful ornaments,
calligraphy and artistic motifs in the shape of flowers. The port is
fortified with two rectangular towers with a prominence of 2.20
meter and 3.50 meter wide and an arcade in the form of a horse-
back, its opening is around 9 meter wide,and its summit is 9.60
meter high even if the level of the soil got higher with sand
deposits.

12. Bab sebta
• located at the northern part of the
city, it is considered as one of the
most impressive gates for visitors
of Salé. Characterised by its huge
tower from which the city affairs
were managed during the reign of
Abdelhaq Fenech (1757-1738). It
was given this name because
people had to use this gate to
reach the route leading to Sebta.

13. Bab Bouhaja
• a large gate which was destroyed
during the 60s. It is named after the
venerable holy Andalusian man Sidi
Ibrahim Bouhaja Randi who kept the
hermits monastery (Zawiya Nossak)
during the 14th century.

14. Bab Dar Sinaa
• AKA (Shipyard Gate) one of Salé historical gates. It is
known as Bab Alfaran (oven gate) or Bab Antar (Antar
gate) because it contained an arsenal and weapons
factory for the pirates. It was built in 1261 by the Marinid
Sultan Abu Yousuf Yaakub Bin Abdelhaq under the
supervision of the Andalusian architect Mohamed bin
Haj Al Ichbili.

15. Bab Chofaa
• One of Sale historical gates.
Characterized by the marvellous and
harmonized design. It is 5 meter high
and contains Bab sab’a banat (Seven
Girls Gate).

16. Bab M’alqa
• One of Sale historical gates, it overlooks
the cemetery and the sea. It is different
from other city’s gates neither in form nor
in size. It is a small gate which still has two
wooden sides. Its importance was drawn
from the fact that it was where the Sultan
stayed during his visit to some places in
the city.

17. Bab Al
Khamis
• Located at the Eastern side
of the city. This name replaced
the old name of Bab Fez (Fez
Gate), it was the only entrance
to the city from this side before
it was closed in 1991. It is a
historical monument in Sale
with two old canons. The
entrance to the city from this
side is reduced to a small side
gate.