A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. Other terms include port.
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 a bigger one like Prague or a smaller one like 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.
Egypt: Gates of Cairo
Morocco: Bab Agnaou of Marrakech
China: Zhengyangmen and Deshengmen in Beijing
China: Gate of China in Nanjing
China: city gate of Jianshui
India: Gateway of India in Mumbai (Maharashtra)
India: Walled city of Jaipur in Jaipur (Rajasthan)
India: Walled city and gates of Aurangabad in Aurangabad (Maharashatra)
India: Walled city of Kota in Kota (Rajasthan)
India: Teen Darwaza in Bhadra Fort, Ahmedabad
Mesopotamia: Ishtar Gate, Babylon
Iran: Qur'an gate in Shiraz
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
Belgium: the remaining city gates of Bruges: Kruispoort, Gentpoort, Smedepoort, Ezelpoort
Belgium: Brusselpoort: in Mechelen
Belgium: Waterpoort in Antwerp
Belgium: Halle Gate in Brussels
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Višegradska kapija Višegrad gate, (also part of the old town of Vratnik) gate in Sarajevo
Croatia: Dubrovnik
Czech Republic: Powder Gate, in Prague
England: Bargate Southampton
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
France : Porte Mordelaise in Rennes
Germany: Fünfgratturm in Augsburg
Germany: Rotes Tor in Augsburg
Germany: Vogeltor in Augsburg
Germany: Wertachbrucker Tor in Augsburg
Germany: Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin
Germany: Eigelsteintor, Hahnentor, Ulrepforte, Severinstor in Cologne
Germany: Nordertor, Kompagnietor and Rotes Tor in Flensburg
Germany: Martinstor (Saint Martin's Gate) and Schwabentor in Freiburg im Breisgau
Germany: Holstentor, in Lübeck
Germany: Isartor, Sendlinger Tor, Karlstor and Propylaea in Munich
Germany: East Gate, in Regensburg
Germany: Steintor, in Rostock
Germany: Old Gate, in Speyer
Germany: Porta Nigra, in Trier
Greece: Lion Gate in Mycenae, 13th century B.C..
Ireland: St. Laurences Gate, 13th Century, in Drogheda, Co. Louth
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 Capuana, Naples
Italy: Porta San Gennaro, Naples
Italy: Port'Alba, Naples
Italy: Porta Nolana, Naples
Italy: Porta Felice, in Palermo
Italy: Porta Nuova, in Palermo
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
Italy: Porta Palatina, in Turin
Lithuania: Gate of Dawn, in Vilnius
Malta: City Gate and Victoria Gate, Valletta
Malta: Mdina Gate and Greeks Gate, Mdina
Netherlands: Amsterdamse Poort, a city gate of Haarlem
Netherlands: Waterpoort (water gate), Sneek
Netherlands: Vischpoort (fish gate), Elburg
Netherlands: Vischpoort (fish gate), Harderwijk
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
Slovakia: Michael's Gate, Bratislava
Spain: Category:City gates in Spain
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
Canada: Ramparts of Quebec City
Trinidad and Tobago: City Gate (Port of Spain), Port of Spain
Peru : Machu Picchu's gate
