City gate

City gate
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 certain curfew each night, for example, a bigger one like Prague or a smaller one like the one in Flensburg, in the north of Germany.
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 in London which was removed in the 19th century.
Examples
Africa
Egypt: Gates of Cairo
Morocco:
Bab Agnaou in Marrakech
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).
Israel: 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 Sana'a
Europe
Austria: Wienertor (1225/65): in Hainburg an der Donau
Belgium:
Brusselpoort: in Mechelen
Waterpoort in Antwerp
Halle Gate in Brussels
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Jajce gates, Višegrad gate (Višegradska kapija) as part of the old town of Vratnik in Sarajevo
Croatia: Walls of Dubrovnik
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 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
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 B.C.
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 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
Zijlpoort (Eastern gate), Leiden
Koepoort (Enkhuizen), Enkhuizen
Drommedaris, Enkhuizen
Sassenpoort, Zwolle
Munttoren, Amsterdam
Eastern Gate (Delft), Delft
Groothoofdspoort, Dordrecht
Koornmarktspoort, Kampen
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
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
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
Types of gates