Considered
to be one of the most important gates of the Medina of Marrakech, Bab Agnaou
was built in the thirteenth century by the Almohads Sultan, Yacoub el Mansour,
to protect access to the administrative and military headquarters of the
Kasbah.
The name
"Agnou" as Gnawa, in Berber, means people being black skin color. Also
called the "Bab al Kohl" and "Bab al Qasr" (the palace
gate) in historical sources, Bab Agnaou is composed of four arches and around
the arches is a frieze which reads a verse from the Koran written in Kufic.
This feature is one of the uniqueness of this door of Marrakech. The Kufic
script is indeed a calligraphy style that was developed in the city of
"Kufa" in Iraq around the tenth century. Kufic is one of the most
ancient scriptures of Arabic calligraphy which calligraphy descends directly
from siriaque a written language. The first copies of the Koran are calligraphy
under that standard. It can be found on many Islamic monuments in modified
form: more square. The geometric Kufic style is perfect for an architectural
treatment and gives this door, "Bab" in Arabic means "door",
a particular interest.
Decorative
work and monument of military architecture worth to visit during you haoliday in Marrakech, the defensive role of Bab Agnaou is
reflected in its location offset from the main shopping district of the Kasbah that
it serves.
At Bab
Agnaou, a set of quality allow to our senses to be on the podium of the most
spectacular Marrakech's gates to see.
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