This article is about the gate in Fes. For the Amazigh folk tradition, see Bujlood.
Bab Bou Jeloud (also spelled Bab Boujeloud or Bab Boujloud) is an ornate city gate in Fes el Bali, the old city of Fez, Morocco. The current gate was built by the French colonial administration in 1913 to serve as the grand entrance to the old city.[1]
The original Bab Bou Jeloud, a more modest structure with a bent entrance, still extant next to the monumental gate of 1913
The name Bou Jeloud dates from well before the existence of the current gate. By one account, the name is a vernacular corruption of the expression Abu al-Junud ("Father of the troops"), referring to a parade ground or military square, in this case the large square known as Place Bou Jeloud (now also called Place el-Baghdadi) just west of the gate.[2]: 107 [3] It is also located near the site of what used to be one of the main citadels of Fes el-Bali, the Kasbah Bou Jeloud, as well as near the Kasbah en-Nouar.[2]
The old Bab Bou Jeloud gate was a simple, modest gate that may have dated essentially from the 12th century.[4] It gave access directly to the start of Tala'a Kebira, the main souq street that crosses the medina and leads to the Qarawiyyin mosque and university at the heart of the city. The gate's passage was set at an angle perpendicular to Tala'a Kebira and parallel to the city wall, meaning that one entered sideways onto Tala'a Kebira. This type of configuration was fairly common in old Moroccan city gates, as it made it easier to defend and to control access.[2][4] This original gate is still visible to the left of the current monumental gate (when facing it from the outside), but it is closed off today.[4]
After the advent of gunpowder and heavy artillery, the fortifications of old cities like Fez were no longer particularly useful as serious military defenses (though they were still effective at keeping out rural tribes who were poorly armed), and city gates took on a mostly decorative role.[1] Following the establishment of the French Protectorate over Morocco in 1912, the French took over the administration of the city and appear to have wanted a grander entrance to the old city. The chief of municipal services, Captain Mellier, soon laid out plans in December 1912 to open a new entrance in the city walls. The city administration purchased and demolished a stables and three shops at the chosen site; a process which required careful negotiations as the shops were dedicated to the revenues of a charitable fund (a waqf).[4] After this, construction took place in 1913.[1]: 42 [5]
The new gate was designed to emulate Moroccan architecture[5] and today it is an iconic sight of the historic medina of Fez. It still marks the main western entrance to the medina and the limit beyond which car traffic generally cannot pass into the historic city.
Descriptionedit
The inner (eastern) side of the gate
The structure is a triple-arched gate that makes use of Moorish architectural forms, with pointed horseshoe arches and a crenelated top. Both the inner and outer facades are covered in polychrome tiles featuring arabesques and Moroccan geometric motifs, with the outer facade predominantly blue and the interior facade predominantly green-ish.[1] Strangely, the actual doors of the gate seem to close and lock from the outside; perhaps an indication that the French administration saw it partly as a means of controlling the movement of the inhabitants inside the medina.[4]
Beyond the gate, a small square ringed by shops and restaurants today gives access to both Tala'a Kebira and Tala'a Seghira, the main streets of the city leading towards the Qarawiyyin and the heart of the medina.
The silhouettes of the minarets visible through the main arch when standing outside the gate are those of the Bou Inania Madrasa and the more recent Sidi Lazzaz Mosque.[2][6]
^ abcdMétalsi, Mohamed (2003). Fès: La ville essentielle. Paris: ACR Édition Internationale. pp. 28–42. ISBN978-2867701528.
^ abcdLe Tourneau, Roger (1949). Fès avant le protectorat: étude économique et sociale d'une ville de l'occident musulman. Casablanca: Société Marocaine de Librairie et d'Édition.
^Parker, Richard (1981). A practical guide to Islamic Monuments in Morocco. Charlottesville, VA: The Baraka Press. p. 127.
^ abcde"Les portes de Boujeloud". À l'ombre du Zalagh, Madinat Fas (in French). 3 February 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
^ abHolden, Stacy E. (2008). "The Legacy of French Colonialism: Preservation in Morocco's Fez Medina". APT Bulletin: The Journal of Preservation Technology. 39 (4): 5–11.
^"Bab Boujloud in Fes - Attraction | Frommer's". www.frommers.com. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
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April 15, 2024
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This article is about the gate in Fes For the Amazigh folk tradition see Bujlood Bab Bou Jeloud also spelled Bab Boujeloud or Bab Boujloud is an ornate city gate in Fes el Bali the old city of Fez Morocco The current gate was built by the French colonial administration in 1913 to serve as the grand entrance to the old city 1 Bab Bou Jeloudباب بوجلودOuter western facade of the gateAlternative namesBab Abi al JounoudGeneral informationTypeCity gateArchitectural styleMauresque style Moorish MoroccanLocationFez MoroccoCoordinates34 3 42 N 4 59 2 W 34 06167 N 4 98389 W 34 06167 4 98389Completed1913 current structure Contents 1 Historical background 2 Description 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistorical background edit nbsp The original Bab Bou Jeloud a more modest structure with a bent entrance still extant next to the monumental gate of 1913The name Bou Jeloud dates from well before the existence of the current gate By one account the name is a vernacular corruption of the expression Abu al Junud Father of the troops referring to a parade ground or military square in this case the large square known as Place Bou Jeloud now also called Place el Baghdadi just west of the gate 2 107 3 It is also located near the site of what used to be one of the main citadels of Fes el Bali the Kasbah Bou Jeloud as well as near the Kasbah en Nouar 2 The old Bab Bou Jeloud gate was a simple modest gate that may have dated essentially from the 12th century 4 It gave access directly to the start of Tala a Kebira the main souq street that crosses the medina and leads to the Qarawiyyin mosque and university at the heart of the city The gate s passage was set at an angle perpendicular to Tala a Kebira and parallel to the city wall meaning that one entered sideways onto Tala a Kebira This type of configuration was fairly common in old Moroccan city gates as it made it easier to defend and to control access 2 4 This original gate is still visible to the left of the current monumental gate when facing it from the outside but it is closed off today 4 After the advent of gunpowder and heavy artillery the fortifications of old cities like Fez were no longer particularly useful as serious military defenses though they were still effective at keeping out rural tribes who were poorly armed and city gates took on a mostly decorative role 1 Following the establishment of the French Protectorate over Morocco in 1912 the French took over the administration of the city and appear to have wanted a grander entrance to the old city The chief of municipal services Captain Mellier soon laid out plans in December 1912 to open a new entrance in the city walls The city administration purchased and demolished a stables and three shops at the chosen site a process which required careful negotiations as the shops were dedicated to the revenues of a charitable fund a waqf 4 After this construction took place in 1913 1 42 5 The new gate was designed to emulate Moroccan architecture 5 and today it is an iconic sight of the historic medina of Fez It still marks the main western entrance to the medina and the limit beyond which car traffic generally cannot pass into the historic city Description edit nbsp The inner eastern side of the gateThe structure is a triple arched gate that makes use of Moorish architectural forms with pointed horseshoe arches and a crenelated top Both the inner and outer facades are covered in polychrome tiles featuring arabesques and Moroccan geometric motifs with the outer facade predominantly blue and the interior facade predominantly green ish 1 Strangely the actual doors of the gate seem to close and lock from the outside perhaps an indication that the French administration saw it partly as a means of controlling the movement of the inhabitants inside the medina 4 Beyond the gate a small square ringed by shops and restaurants today gives access to both Tala a Kebira and Tala a Seghira the main streets of the city leading towards the Qarawiyyin and the heart of the medina The silhouettes of the minarets visible through the main arch when standing outside the gate are those of the Bou Inania Madrasa and the more recent Sidi Lazzaz Mosque 2 6 See also editGates of Fez Bou Jeloud MosqueReferences edit a b c d Metalsi Mohamed 2003 Fes La ville essentielle Paris ACR Edition Internationale pp 28 42 ISBN 978 2867701528 a b c d Le Tourneau Roger 1949 Fes avant le protectorat etude economique et sociale d une ville de l occident musulman Casablanca Societe Marocaine de Librairie et d Edition Parker Richard 1981 A practical guide to Islamic Monuments in Morocco Charlottesville VA The Baraka Press p 127 a b c d e Les portes de Boujeloud A l ombre du Zalagh Madinat Fas in French 3 February 2017 Retrieved 28 January 2018 a b Holden Stacy E 2008 The Legacy of French Colonialism Preservation in Morocco s Fez Medina APT Bulletin The Journal of Preservation Technology 39 4 5 11 Bab Boujloud in Fes Attraction Frommer s www frommers com Retrieved 10 January 2020 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bab Bou Jeloud Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bab Bou Jeloud amp oldid 1210687692, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
