City gate


 * "City Gate" redirects here. For the Israeli skyscraper, see Moshe Aviv Tower.

A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. Other terms include port.

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.

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 Prague.

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 demolished in the 18th century.

Ancient World

 * Mesopotamia: Ishtar Gate, Babylon

Africa

 * Egypt: Gates of Cairo
 * Morocco: Bab Agnaou of Marrakech

Asia

 * China: Zhengyangmen and Deshengmen in Beijing
 * China: Gate of China in Nanjing
 * China: city gate of Jianshui
 * India: Gateway of India in Mumbai (Maharashtra)
 * 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
 * South Korea: Seoul's city gates, including: Namdaemun and Dongdaemun
 * Taiwan: North gate of Taipei
 * Yemen: Bab al Yemen of Sana'a

Europe

 * Belgium: the remaining city gates of Bruges: Kruispoort, Gentpoort, Smedepoort, Ezelpoort
 * Belgium: Brusselpoort: in Mechelen
 * Belgium: Waterpoort in Antwerp
 * Belgium: Halle Gate in Brussels
 * Croatia: Dubrovnik
 * Czech Republic: Powder Gate, in Prague
 * England: London's Roman and Medieval gates of the London Wall: Ludgate, Newgate, Aldersgate, Bishopsgate, Cripplegate, Moorgate, Aldgate
 * England: Westgate, Canterbury
 * England: The gates (known as Bars) of the York city walls
 * France: Porte de Joigny and Porte de Sens in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne
 * France: Porte de la Craffe in Nancy
 * France: Porte des Allemands in Metz
 * France: Porte Saint-Denis and Porte Saint-Martin in Paris
 * France : Porte Mars in Reims
 * France: Porte Cailhau in Bordeaux
 * France : Porte de la Grosse-Horloge in La Rochelle
 * Germany: Eigelsteintor, Hahnentor, Ulrepforte, Severinstor in Cologne
 * Germany: Holstentor, in Lübeck
 * Germany: Porta Nigra, in Trier
 * Germany: Old Gate, in Speyer
 * Germany: Steintor, in Rostock
 * Germany: Isartor, Sendlinger Tor, Karlstor and Propylaea in Munich
 * Germany: Martinstor (Saint Martin's Gate) and Schwabentor in Freiburg im Breisgau
 * Germany: East Gate, in Regensburg
 * Greece: Lion Gate in Mycenae, 13th century B.C..
 * Italy: Porta Capuana, in Naples
 * Italy: Pusterla di Sant'Ambrogio, in Milan
 * Italy: Porta Nuova (Medieval), in Milan
 * Italy: Porta Nuova, in Milan
 * Italy: Porta Ticinese (Medieval), in Milan
 * Italy: Porta Ticinese, in Milan
 * Italy: Porta San Giovanni, in Rome
 * Italy: Porta del Popolo, in Rome
 * Italy: Porta Pinciana, in Rome
 * Italy: Porta Tiburtina, in Rome
 * Italy: Porta San Sebastiano, in Rome
 * Italy: Porta San Paolo, in Rome
 * Malta: City Gate, Valletta
 * Netherlands: Amsterdamse Poort, a city gate of Haarlem
 * Netherlands: Waterpoort (water gate), Sneek
 * Netherlands: Vischpoort (fish gate), Elburg
 * Netherlands: Koppelpoort (combination gate), Amersfoort
 * Poland: Brama Portowa (Port Gate), Szczecin
 * Poland: Brama Młyńska (Mill Gate), Stargard Szczeciński
 * Poland: St. Florian's Gate, Kraków
 * Poland: Żuraw (Crane Gate), Gdańsk
 * Portugal: Arco da Porta Nova, Braga
 * Portugal: Portas da Cidade, Ponta Delgada (Azores)
 * Russia: Voskresensky Gate, Moscow
 * Russia: Golden Gate, Vladimir
 * Spain: Puerta del Sol, Madrid
 * Switzerland: The gates of the Basel City Walls, Basel
 * Turkey: The many gates in the walls of Constantinople, present day Istanbul
 * Ukraine: Golden Gate, Kiev
 * Wales: Chepstow Town Gate

North America

 * City Gate (Port of Spain), Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
 * Porte St-Louis (Vieux-Quebec) and Porte St-Jean (Vieux-Quebec), Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

South America

 * Peru : Machu Picchu's gate