Bab el-Mansour Gate is a real masterpiece of Eastern architecture. Everything about it is marvelous: its proportions, decoration, and the impressive size.

The Gate was built in 1732 at the request of sultan Moulay Ismail. He wanted his city to be distinguished and to have the most gorgeous and significant buildings symbolizing the ruler’s power, strength, and enlightenment.

A local architect, Christian slave, El-Mansour, designed the building. He converted to Islam later on and was given the  freedom for his success in architecture. He worked meticulously on each detail to please the capricious sultan. He chose the best materials, the most expensive tile for mosaics, hired only professional craftsmen. He even brought some parts of the Gate from the Roman Volubilis. He wanted to use the perfect columns as well as demonstrate that the past was the past, the Roman power had fallen and Meknes had become an independent city, free to do whatever they wished to the former empire buildings. At last, the architect and his craftsmen succeeded and Meknes acquired the huge Gate of fabulous beauty.

There is a legend  that after the sultan had seen the amazing Mansour Gate, he asked the architect if he would be able to create anything more beautiful than that masterpiece. The architect answered instantly that he would and that there is no limit to perfection. The sultan didn’t like the answer. He was afraid that somebody else would pay to the free artist and he would move to another city to create a new architectural wonder. That’s why the creator of the magnificent Gate was executed the next day. At the same time, the sultan named the Gate after the architect to immortalize the memory of him. That is how the eastern rulers defined justice.

Today, the Mansour Gate is one of the main landmarks in Meknes. The monument sings its own praises: there is ancient writing over the central entrance that says: “This is the most beautiful gate in Morocco. It is like the Moon in the sky. The majestic walls symbolize wealth and abundance".