A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. It is a type of fortified gateway.
Uses
City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods and animals. Depending on their historical context they filled functions relating to defense, security, health, trade, taxation, and representation, and were correspondingly staffed by military or municipal authorities. The city gate was also commonly used to display diverse kinds of public information such as announcements, tax and toll schedules, standards of local measures, and legal texts. It could be heavily fortified, ornamented with heraldic shields, sculpture or inscriptions, or used as a location for warning or intimidation, for example by displaying the heads of beheaded criminals or public enemies.
Notably in Denmark, many market towns used to have at least one city gate mostly as part of the city's fortifications, but during the Age of Absolutism their functions become closely linked to the collection of customs, the so-called octroi, which from 1660 onwards was charged to the market town's coffers. When absolutism in Denmark came to an end after the revolutions of 1848, gate consumption was abolished in 1852, and since then the city gates also began to disappear. Medieval Danish city gates are found today only in Vesterport, Faaborg, and Mølleporten, Stege, as well as in Flensburg, today in Germany.
Further city gates, in one form or another, can be found across the world in cities dating back to ancient times to around the 19th century. Many cities would close their gates after a curfew each night.
With increased stability and freedom, many walled cities removed such fortifications as city gates, although many still survive; albeit for historic interest rather than security. Many surviving gates have been heavily restored, rebuilt or new ones created to add to the appearance of a city, such as Bab Bou Jalous in Fes. With increased levels of traffic, city gates have come under threat in the past for impeding the flow of traffic, such as Temple Bar Gate in London which was removed in the 19th century.
Examples
Africa
Egypt: Gates of Cairo Morocco: Bab Agnaou in Marrakesh Gates of Fez
Asia
Bangladesh Dhaka Gate in Dhaka City Gate, Chittagong China Zhengyangmen and Deshengmen in Beijing Gate of China in Nanjing city gate of Jianshui Cyprus: Famagusta Gate in Nicosia India Gateway of India in Mumbai (Maharashtra) Walled city of Jaipur in Jaipur (Rajasthan) Walled city and gates of Aurangabad in Aurangabad (Maharashtra) Walled city of Kota in Kota (Rajasthan) Teen Darwaza in Bhadra Fort, Ahmedabad Iraq: Ishtar Gate, Hillah Iran Qur'an gate (Shiraz) Nowbar gate (Tabriz). Palestine: Gates in Jerusalem's Old City Walls Japan: Rashomon Gate, Kyoto Macau: Portas do Cerco - border gate for Macau with neighbouring Zhuhai Pakistan: Walled City of Lahore Philippines: Gates of Intramuros South Korea: Seoul's city gates, including: Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Taiwan: North gate of Taipei Yemen: Bab al Yemen of Sanaa
Europe Austria: Wienertor (1225/65): in Hainburg an der Donau Belgium: Brusselpoort: in Mechelen Waterpoort in Antwerp Halle Gate in Brussels Bosnia and Herzegovina: two Jajce gates, three gates of the old town of Vratnik in Sarajevo Croatia: gates in Walls of Dubrovnik, gates of Diocletian's Palace in Split, gate of Old town of Korčula Czech Republic: Powder Gate, Prague Písek Gate, Prague Zelená brána (Green Gate), Pardubice Brána Matky Boží, Jihlava Svatá brána, Kadaň Vysoká brána, Rakovník Pražská brána, Rakovník Denmark: Vesterport, Faaborg Mølleporten, Stege Estonia: Tallinn Gate in Pärnu France: Porte Narbonnaise, Porte de l'Aude, Porte Saint-Nazaire in Carcassonne Porte de Joigny and Porte de Sens in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne Porte de la Craffe in Nancy Porte des Allemands in Metz Porte Saint-Denis and Porte Saint-Martin in Paris Porte Mars in Reims Porte Cailhau in Bordeaux Porte de la Grosse-Horloge in La Rochelle Porte Mordelaise in Rennes Germany: Fünfgratturm in Augsburg Rotes Tor in Augsburg Vogeltor in Augsburg Wertachbrucker Tor in Augsburg Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin Eigelsteintor, Hahnentor, Ulrepforte, Severinstor in Cologne Nordertor, Kompagnietor and Rotes Tor in Flensburg Martinstor (Saint Martin's Gate) and Schwabentor in Freiburg im Breisgau Bayertor in Landsberg am Lech Leipzig City Gates Holstentor, in Lübeck Isartor, Sendlinger Tor, Karlstor and Propylaea in Munich East Gate, in Regensburg Steintor, in Rostock Old Gate, in Speyer Porta Nigra, in Trier Greece: Lion Gate in Mycenae, 13th century BC Ireland: Saint Laurence Gate, Drogheda Sheep Gate, Trim St. James's Gate, Dublin gates of Dublin Italy: Porta Galliera, Bologna Porta Saragozza, Bologna Porta Paola, Ferrara Pusterla di Sant'Ambrogio, in Milan Porta Nuova (Medieval), in Milan Porta Nuova, in Milan Porta Ticinese (Medieval), in Milan Porta Ticinese, in Milan Porta Capuana, Naples Porta San Gennaro, Naples Port'Alba, Naples Porta Nolana, Naples Porta Felice, in Palermo Porta Nuova, in Palermo Porta Montanara, in Rimini Arch of Augustus, in Rimini Porta San Giovanni, in Rome Porta del Popolo, in Rome Porta Maggiore, in Rome Porta Pinciana, in Rome Porta Tiburtina, in Rome Porta San Sebastiano, in Rome Porta San Paolo, in Rome Porta Camollia, Siena Porta Palatina, in Turin Lithuania: Gate of Dawn, in Vilnius Malta: City Gate and Victoria Gate, Valletta Mdina Gate and Greeks Gate, Mdina Notre Dame Gate, Birgu St. Helen's Gate, Cospicua Netherlands: Amsterdamse Poort, a city gate of Haarlem Waterpoort (water gate), Sneek Vischpoort (fish gate), Elburg Vischpoort (fish gate), Harderwijk Koppelpoort (combination gate), Amersfoort Monnikendam water gate, Amersfoort Kamperbinnenpoort, Amersfoort Zijlpoort (Eastern gate), Leiden Koepoort (Enkhuizen), Enkhuizen Drommedaris, Enkhuizen Sassenpoort, Zwolle Munttoren, Amsterdam Sint Antoniespoort (de Waag), Amsterdam Muiderpoort, Amsterdam Eastern Gate (Delft), Delft Groothoofdspoort, Dordrecht Koornmarktspoort, Kampen Broederpoort, Kampen Cellebroederspoort, Kampen Gevangenpoort (Lievevrouwepoort) (Prison Gate our Our Lady's Gate), Bergen op Zoom Helpoort, Maastricht Noordhavenpoort, Zuidhavenpoort and Nobelpoort, Zierikzee Oosterpoort, Hoorn Sabelspoort, Arnhem Dijkpoort (Camperpoort), Hattem Veerpoort, Schoonhoven Utrechtsepoort, Naarden Saltpoort / Drogenapstoren, Zutphen Berkelpoort water gate, Zutphen Grendelpoort, Valkenburg Lekpoort, Vianen Waterpoort, Tiel Poland: Brama Floriańska (St. Florian's Gate), Kraków Żuraw (Crane Gate), Gdańsk Brama Zielona (Green Gate), Gdańsk Brama Wyżynna (Highland Gate), Gdańsk Brama Mariacka, Gdańsk Brama Krakowska (Kraków Gate), Lublin Brama Mostowa (Bridge Gate), Toruń Brama Klasztorna, Toruń Brama Opatowska, Sandomierz Brama Młyńska (Mill Gate), Stargard Brama Pyrzycka, Stargard Brama Garncarska, Malbork Brama Lidzbarska (Lidzbark Gate), Bartoszyce Nowa Brama (New Gate), Słupsk
Brama Świecka, Chojna Brama Wolińska, Goleniów Brama Odrzańska, Brzeg Brama Portowa (Port Gate), Szczecin Brama Górna, Olsztyn Brama Szczebrzeska, Zamość Portugal: Arco da Porta Nova (Arch of the New Gate), Braga Portas da Cidade (City Gate), Ponta Delgada (Azores) Portão dos Varadouros (Beaching Gate) a.k.a. City Gate, Funchal (Madeira)
Romania: Catherine's Gate, Brașov Russia Voskresensky Gate, Moscow Golden Gate, Vladimir Slovakia: Michalská brána (Michael's Gate), Bratislava Košická brána, Levoča Spain: See :Category:City gates in Spain Switzerland: The gates of the Basel City Walls, Basel Turkey Hadrian's Gate in Antalya The many gates in the walls of Constantinople, present day Istanbul Ukraine: Golden Gate, Kyiv United Kingdom: Bargate Southampton Derry City Walls and its 7 Medieval City gates London's Roman and Medieval gates of the London Wall: Ludgate, Newgate, Aldersgate, Bishopsgate, Cripplegate, Moorgate, Aldgate Westgate, Canterbury Eastgate, Northgate, Watergate and Bridgegate. Chester The gates (known as Bars) of the York city walls Chepstow Town Gate, Wales
Americas
Canada: Kent Gate, Prescott Gate, Saint-Jean Gate, and Saint-Louis Gate at the ramparts of Quebec City United States: Two Stone Gates, a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in Hollywood, California Mexico: San Francisco de Campeche, a World Heritage Site, it is a colonial walled city. Are preserved today two city gates: Puerta del Mar completed in 1710, and Puerta de Tierra built in 1732. Trinidad and Tobago: City Gate (Port of Spain), Port of Spain Puerto Rico: In San Juan, a World Heritage Site, the Walls of the city had five gates. The main was the Puerta de San Juan, today preserved, built in 1635. It also had the Puerta de San José, the Puerta de Santa Rosa, the Puerta de San Justo and the Puerta de Santiago the latter built between 1635 and 1641 by Captain General Íñigo de la Mota Sarmiento. In San Juan, the main gate of the Castle San Felipe del Morro, built between 1589 and 1650. Cuba: In Havana, a World Heritage Site, has the Arco de Belén city gate, built in 1775. In Havana, has the main gate of the Fortress of la Cabaña, built between 1763 and 1774. In Havana, the Castle of Príncipe, built between 1767 and 1771, has preserved its great main gate. Dominican Republic: In Santo Domingo, a World Heritage Site, its City Walls had seven gates, today are preserved four of them, the Puerta del Conde built between 1543 and 1655, the Puerta Carlos III completed in 1797, the Puerta de las Atarazanas Reales built between 1509 and 1541, and the Puerta de la Misericordia built in 1543, the Walls of Santo domingo is the oldest military construction of European origin in the Americas. Guatemala: In Antigua Guatemala, a World Heritage Site, its main city gate the Arco de Santa Catalina is preserved, built in 1693. Peru: Machu Picchu's gate, Pre-Columbian, built between 1438 and 1472, a World Heritage Site. The Colonial Walls of Lima had ten gates. The main gate and now defunct was the Arco del Puente, built between 1684 and 1687. Uruguay: In Colonia del Sacramento, a World Heritage Site, its main city gate, the Portón de Campo, was built in 1745, under Portuguese government. Gateway of the Citadel in Montevideo. Colombia: Puerta del Reloj, built between 1704 and 1738, was the main city gate of Cartagena, Colombia, a World Heritage Site. Bolivia: In Tiwanaku, a World Heritage Site, The Gateway of the Sun, was built between 500 and 950 CE, Pre-Columbian.
See also Defensive wall Gate house Gate tower Triumphal arch Wicket gate
References
External links