It is approached via a series of walled courtyards or official squares known as mechouars (also spelled meshwar), a common feature of traditional royal palaces in Morocco.[1][2] These occupy a large space between the palace to the north and the Agdal Gardens to the south. The mechouars, arranged in a series from roughly east to west, are accessed through a number of gates – although many are of minor historical or architectural interest. The first (outermost) gate to the east is Bab Ahmar ("Red Gate"; also spelled Bab Hmar).[14][2] It is the most notable gate due its incorporation of a large guardhouse and a terrace that could hold light artillery.[1]:497 Behind this gate is a neighbourhood of the same name and a street running west to Bab al-Furma, a gate which in turn leads to the Outer Mechouar (also known as Mechouar al-Barrani).