Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate)

Bab Bou Jeloud, the Blue Gate, is the ceremonial western entrance to Fes el-Bali on Place Bou Jeloud, in Morocco's Fès-Meknès region. The gate was completed in 1913 in Moorish style and is tiled blue on the outer face, the colour of Fes, and green on the inner face, the colour of Islam. Its horseshoe arches are decorated with calligraphy and geometric tilework, and the gate frames the first view of the minaret of the Bou Inania Madrasa and the start of Talaa Kebira. Petit taxis drop visitors at the square, which is the standard starting point for exploring the medina. Cafe terraces on the adjoining square overlook the entrance and are a common meeting point for guides and visitors, and the square fills with food stalls, juice sellers and people in the evening. A visit to the gate itself takes 15 to 30 minutes, though many visitors pass through it several times a day. The best moment is dusk, when the gate is lit and the cafes fill, giving the strongest colours for photography and a lively atmosphere. For photos, the outer blue face is best in daylight and the inner green face is best shot from just inside the medina. The area is busiest in the evening and at midday, when tour groups and touts gather, and early morning is quiet. Unofficial guides often approach arriving visitors near the gate, and a polite refusal is normal. The gate is open around the clock and free to view. Visitors should watch belongings in the crowd and keep clear of carts and donkeys passing through the arches.