Bab Debbagh: history of the tanners' gate and how to get there
Bab Debbagh, the "Tanners' Gate", is one of the oldest gates in Marrakech. It dates from around 1126, when the Almoravid emir Ali ibn Yusuf had the city's first walls built. It opens on the east side of the medina, the northernmost of the two eastern gates, and you can walk through it in a few minutes without a ticket. Its interest lies in its bent passage, the most complicated of any gate in Marrakech, and in its position at the entrance to the tannery district, which takes its name from it. This page is about the gate itself; for the tanning pits and the tannery visit, see the dedicated page. To place it among the other gates, see the ramparts and gates of Marrakech, and for the neighbouring area, our guide to the north of the medina.
Highlights
The bent passage
Instead of a simple arch, the gate is a small maze: the passage turns five times, almost in an S, through two open-air courtyards and an elongated vaulted chamber. This layout forced an attacker to advance in stages under the eyes of the defenders. The central chamber corresponds to the original Almoravid gate; the courtyards are thought to be an Almohad addition.
The gate seen from outside
The ochre rammed-earth ramparts, built with lime and local sand, give the gate its red-orange colour. Like the other gates of the city it is plain: the effect comes from its mass and the light, not from carved decoration as at Bab Agnaou.
The name
"Debbagh" comes from dabbagh, Arabic for tanner: tanneries have worked here since Almoravid times, beside the Issil wadi from which they draw water. Even today, when the wind turns, the smell of the hides reminds you where the gate gets its name.
A staircase to the roof
A staircase in the south-east corner of the gate leads to the terrace. It is not always open to the public: do not count on it and do not force any passage.
Practical info
Tips
- Access is free all year: there is no ticket and no opening time. The trap in this area is touts. Strangers tell you the tanneries are "closed today" or that you are going the wrong way, then lead you to a leather shop where they take a commission. Come on your own, decline politely, and use the tanneries page for the visit. Traffic is heavy around the gate (scooters, carts): stay alert as you cross. Always ask before photographing someone up close. Licensed guides wear a badge.
How to get there
In the north-east of the medina, rue de Bab Debbagh, on the east side of the ramparts On foot from Jemaa el-Fna square: allow 20 to 25 minutes, crossing the souks towards the Ben Youssef Madrasa and then following rue de Bab Debbagh east By petit taxi: ask for "Bab Debbagh"; the gate can be reached by car from outside the ramparts
Opening hours
Nearby
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