The most monumental of the seven historic gates that pierce the medina wall, on the eastern side facing the mountains. Horseshoe-arched, flanked by crenellated bastions, and faced with bands of green tile, Bab el-Okla is the photogenic entrance to the old city. The Ethnographic Museum occupies the bastion just inside.
A short walk through Bab el-Okla and into the labyrinth beyond drops you immediately into the carpenters' souk, with the smell of cedar shavings and the rasp of saws. Best entered in the morning when the trades are at work.