Gate set within a city wall
Kent Gate is a city gate at the
ramparts of Quebec
.
A
city gate
is a
gate
which is, or was, set within a
city wall
. It is a type of
fortified gateway
.
Uses
[
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]
Depiction of a guard checking a salesperson's papers at a city gate
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.
[1]
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 Gate
in
London
which was removed in the 19th century.
Examples
[
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]
Africa
[
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]
Bab Agnaou
is a city gate in
Marrakesh
.
Asia
[
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]
Zhengyangmen
is a city gate in
Beijing
.
Damascus Gate
is one of several
gates of the Old City of Jerusalem
.
Golden Gate of
Diocletian's Palace
in
Split
Vi?egrad Gate on
Vratnik
, eastern entrance to
Sarajevo
Europe
[
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]
- Austria:
Wienertor (1225/65)
: in
Hainburg an der Donau
Brusselpoort
is a city gate in
Mechelen
.
Belgium:
- 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
Kor?ula
Pisek Gate
is a city gate in
Prague
.
Czech Republic:
- Denmark:
Vesterport
,
Faaborg
- Estonia:
Tallinn Gate
in
Parnu
Germans' Gate
is a
bridge castle
and city gate in
Metz
.
France:
Brandenburg Gate
is a monument and city gate in
Berlin
.
Germany:
- Funfgratturm
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
Lubeck
- Isartor
,
Sendlinger Tor
,
Karlstor
and
Propylaea
in
Munich
- East Gate
, in
Regensburg
- Steintor
, in
Rostock
- Old Gate
, in
Speyer
- Porta Nigra
, in
Trier
Lion Gate
is a city gate of a Bronze Age citadel in
Mycenae
.
Greece:
Lion Gate
in
Mycenae
, 13th century BC
- Ireland:
Archi di Porta Nuova
is a medieval city gate in
Milan
.
Porta San Giovanni
is a city gate at the
Aurelian Wall
in
Rome
.
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
[2]
- Arch of Augustus
, in
Rimini
[3]
- 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
City Gate (Valletta)
at the
fortifications of Valletta
in
Valletta
Malta:
Koppelpoort
is a city gate in
Amersfoort
.
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
Green Gate
is a city gate in
Gda?sk
.
Stargard Mill Gate
is a city and
watergate
in
Stargard
.
Poland:
- Brama Floria?ska
(St. Florian's Gate),
Krakow
- ?uraw
(
Crane
Gate
),
Gda?sk
- Brama Zielona
(Green Gate),
Gda?sk
- Brama Wy?ynna
(Highland Gate),
Gda?sk
- Brama Mariacka
, Gda?sk
- Brama Krakowska
(Krakow Gate),
Lublin
- Brama Mostowa
(Bridge Gate),
Toru?
- Brama Klasztorna
,
Toru?
- Brama Opatowska
,
Sandomierz
- Brama Mły?ska
(Mill Gate),
Stargard
- Brama Pyrzycka
,
Stargard
- Brama Garncarska
,
Malbork
- Brama Lidzbarska
(Lidzbark Gate),
Bartoszyce
- Nowa Brama (New Gate),
Słupsk
Arco da Porta Nova
is a city gate in
Braga
.
Puerta Baja gate in
Daroca
, Aragon, Spain, built in the XV century
- Romania:
Catherine's Gate
,
Bra?ov
- Russia
- Slovakia:
- Spain: See
Category:City gates in Spain
- Switzerland: The gates of the
Basel City Walls
,
Basel
The Second Military Gate is a city at the
Walls of Constantinople
.
Turkey
- 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
[
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]
The
Gateway of the Sun
in
Tiwanaku
,
Bolivia
, built between 500 and 950 CE
Puerta del Reloj
in
Cartagena, Colombia
, built between 1704 and 1738
Arco de Santa Catalina
in
Antigua Guatemala
,
Guatemala
, built in 1693
Arco de Belen
in
Havana
,
Cuba
, built in 1775
- 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 Jose, 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 Inigo de la Mota Sarmiento.
- In San Juan, the main gate of the
Castle San Felipe del Morro
, built between 1589 and 1650.
- Cuba:
- Dominican Republic:
- 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:
- 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
[
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]
References
[
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]
External links
[
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]
Media related to
City gates
at Wikimedia Commons
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