Bab Mansour is the monumental gate in Meknes famous for its ornate 18th-century façade.
The gate faces Place el-Hedim, the large public square beside the imperial city built by Sultan Moulay Isma'il. Its name is commonly linked to Mansour Laalej, an architect or convert associated with the project, although historical accounts differ on the exact details.
Bab Mansour is decorated with intricate zellij mosaic tilework, carved inscriptions and a broad horseshoe-arched opening. Its monumental scale expressed the power of the Alaouite ruler and formed a dramatic entrance to the imperial precinct.
The gate is sometimes confused with other famous Moroccan entrances, especially Bab Bou Jeloud in Fez and Bab Agnaou in Marrakesh. Unlike those gates, Bab Mansour is specifically associated with Meknes and the imperial building program of Moulay Isma'il.