Bab Agnaou

Bab Agnaou (arabe : باب أكناو) est l'une des dix neuf Bab (portes) de Marrakech, au Maroc. Elle a été construite au XIIe siècle, au temps de la dynastie des Almohade. Bab Agnou est l'entrée de la kasbah royale dans la partie sud de la médina de Marrakech. La kasbah, construite par le sultan Almohade, Yacoub al-Mansour, est le site d'"El Mansouria" (la mosquée de la Kasbah), du palais El Badi et des Tombeaux saadiens.

1. Toponymie

Le nom "Agnaw", comme Gnaoua, en berbère signifie "muet". Ce mot fut utilisé par les populations amazighes locales pour désigner les esclaves subsahariens, ces derniers ne parlant que rarement le tachelhit. Cette porte fut appelée Bab al Kohl (qui signifie également "La Porte des Noirs") ou Bab al Qsar ("La Porte du Palais"). L'explication fournie par Maurice Delafosse en 1924, est restée pendant longtemps l'unique référence étymologique du mot et fut adoptée par des générations de chercheurs ; selon lui, l'expression berbère Akal n ignawen qui signifie pays des Muets, aurait donné naissance aux mots Guinée et Ghana et par la suite au mot gnaoua par ressemblance phonétique. Gnaoua, signifierait donc, par extension, homme noir ou venant du pays des hommes noirs, c'est-à-dire d'Afrique subsaharienne.

1. Notes et références

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Bab Agnaou (Arabic: باب اكناو or باب اڭناو), also transliterated as Bab Agnaw, is one of the best-known gates of Marrakesh, Morocco. Its construction is attributed to the Almohad caliph Abu Yusuf Ya'qub al-Mansur and was completed around 1188 or 1190. The gate was the main public entrance to the royal kasbah (citadel) in the southern part of the medina of Marrakesh. The Kasbah, built by Yaqub al-Mansur, is the site of the nearby El Mansouria Mosque (or Kasbah Mosque) and the Saadian Tombs behind it, as well as the El Badi Palace and the main Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) of the city.

Historic Site Landmark

Bab er Robb

Bab er Robb (Arabic: باب الرب) is a southern city gate in the historic medina of Marrakesh, Morocco.

Landmark

Kasbah Mosque, Marrakesh

The Kasbah Mosque (Arabic: مسجد القصبة), also known as the Moulay al-Yazid Mosque, is a historic mosque in Marrakesh, Morocco. It was originally built by the Almohad ruler Yaqub al-Mansur in 1185–1190 CE. It is located in the Kasbah district, the city's former citadel, near the site of its historic royal palaces. Along with the Kutubiyya Mosque, it is one of the most important historic mosques in Marrakesh.

Historic Site Landmark

Saadian Tombs

The Saadian Tombs are a historic royal necropolis in Marrakesh, Morocco, located on the south side of the Kasbah Mosque, inside the royal kasbah (citadel) district of the city. They date to the time of the Saadian dynasty and in particular to the reign of Ahmad al-Mansur (1578–1603), though members of Morocco's monarchy continued to be buried here for a time afterwards. The complex is regarded by many art historians as the high point of Moroccan architecture in the Saadian period due to its luxurious decoration and careful interior design. Today the site is a major tourist attraction in Marrakesh.

Historic Site Landmark

Kasbah of Marrakesh

The Kasbah of Marrakesh is a large walled district in the southern part of the medina of Marrakesh, Morocco, which historically served as the citadel (kasbah) and royal palace complex of the city. A large part of the district is still occupied by the official royal palace, the Dar al-Makhzen, which serves as the residence of the King of Morocco when he visits the city. The rest of the district consists of various neighbourhoods and monuments. It was founded by the Almohads in the late 12th century, with most of the construction carried out by Caliph Ya'qub al-Mansur (r. 1184–1199). Two of its most important surviving structures today, the Kasbah Mosque and the main gate of Bab Agnaou, date from al-Mansur's reign. The palace complex was neglected after the fall of the Almohads, but the Kasbah was restored and rebuilt by the Saadian dynasty in the 16th century, during the time of sultans Abdallah al-Ghalib and Ahmad al-Mansur, who created new palaces and extensive gardens. The Saadian Tombs and the ruins of the El Badi Palace date from this period. Abdallah al-Ghalib was also responsible for the creation of a Jewish quarter, the Mellah, adjoined to the Kasbah's eastern flank. Following another period of neglect and pillage, the palaces were rebuilt and redeveloped by the 'Alawi sultan Muhammad ibn Abdallah who gave the Royal Palace (Dar al-Makhzen) and its surroundings much of their present form. Today the kasbah is no longer a restricted district, apart from the royal palace, and is a popular tourist attraction in the city.

Government Historic Site