Bab Doukkala is one of the largest and best-preserved of Marrakesh's original medieval gates — a massive pisé tower flanked by round bastions that punctuates the ochre north wall of the medina. The name refers to the Doukkala region on the Atlantic coast, towards which the road through this gate has always led. The gate was rebuilt and enlarged under the Saadian sultans in the 16th century and remains in excellent condition.
Unlike some of the medina's more celebrated gates, Bab Doukkala serves real traffic — taxis, motorcycles, and delivery vehicles pass through continuously throughout the day. This functional use gives the gate a different quality from the more ceremonial southern gates: it is a working piece of urban infrastructure that has been in continuous use for eight centuries.