The most beautiful of Marrakesh's nineteen historic gates, Bab Agnaou marks the entrance to the royal kasbah quarter and has been doing so since the Almohad dynasty built it in the 12th century. Carved from a distinctive blue-grey stone rather than the city's usual pink sandstone, it features concentric arches decorated with Kufic inscriptions and floral motifs. The name may derive from the Berber word for "hornless ram," a metaphor meaning this gate had no equal. It is one of the few gates you can truly appreciate up close, and the stonework rewards careful inspection. Just beyond lies the Saadian Tombs and the Kasbah Mosque.