The Kasbah quarter is enclosed within its own set of inner walls, distinct from the main medina ramparts, creating a city within a city. The walls date primarily from the Almohad period and were substantially rebuilt under the Saadians. Several of the original gates survive — Bab Agnaou, the ornately decorated main ceremonial entrance, is the finest, but the smaller gates on the other flanks are less visited and offer a quieter approach.
Walking the perimeter of the Kasbah walls, particularly in the late afternoon when the ochre stone turns golden, takes about thirty minutes and covers ground that most visitors skip entirely. The south side of the walls backs onto the Agdal royal gardens, and from certain angles you can see the Atlas mountains above the rooftops — one of Marrakesh's characteristic views.