Gates of Baghdad

Bab Al-Wastani, 2016.

The gates of Baghdad (Arabic: أبواب بغداد‎) refers to the several bab, meaning gate in Arabic, connected by walls surrounding the city of Baghdad. The gates and the walls were designed to protect the city from the foreign invasions. Some of the components date back to the Abbasid era, while others were preserved and renovated during the Ottoman era.

History

The Round city of Baghdad was constructed by the Abbasid Caliph Abu Ja’far al-Mansur during 762–768, surrounded by enclosures with four gates, namely Bab Al-Sham, Bab Al-Basra, Bab Khorasan and Bab Al-Kufa.[1] However, these four gates were eventually destroyed. Today the area is the neighborhood of Karkh in Mansour district, which located in southwest Baghdad.

During the late-Abbasid era, 28th Caliph Al-Mustazhir laid out a plan to expand the enclosure with additional walls, gates, moats and obstructions against invaders. The expansion plan was carried out during the reign of the succeeding Caliph Al-Mustarshid, and additional four gates were constructed, namely Bab Al-Muadham, Bab Ash-Sharqi, Bab Al-Talsim and Bab Al-Wastani. These four gates remained long after the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate.[2]

Gates

Main gates

  • Bab Al-Muadham (Arabic: باب المعظم‎), also known as Bab al-Sultan,[2] was located at the beginning of the Al-Muadi Street nearby the Abu Hanifa Mosque in Adhamiyah district. The remains of the gate no longer exist as they were destroyed after the British Invasion of Baghdad. Today the surrounding area is referred by its name, where is considered as one of the centers of Baghdad.
  • Bab Ash-Sharqi (Arabic: باب الشرقي‎) was located in Ash-Sharqi quarter of the old Baghdad at the end of the Al Rasheed Street. The origin of the gate is the gates of Baghdad during the Ottoman era. The gate was turned into a church after the British Invasion in 1917 and later destroyed in 1937.
Bab Al-Talsim before destruction in 1917.
  • Bab Al-Talsim (Arabic: باب الطلسم‎), also known as Bab al-Halba or Talisman Gate, was built in 1120. The gate was demolished by the Ottoman troops in 1917 during their withdrawal from Baghdad, in fear of seizure by the British troops and turning into the warehouse for ammunition and weapons.[2][3]
  • Bab Al-Wastani (Arabic: باب الوسطاني‎), also known as Bab Khorasan, is the only remaining gate today.[2] The gate is known for situated nearby the Mausoleum of Umar Suhrawardi. During the late 20th century, the site was restored which can be overlooked from the Muhammad al-Qassim Highway. At the same time, the surrounding graves and mosques which date back to Abbasid era, known as Al-Wardiyya Cemetery, were uprooted in order to build the infrastructure for tourism surrounding the gate.[4]

Other gates

  • Bab Al-Aga (Arabic: باب الأغا‎) was located in today’s Bab Al-Aga neighborhood.
  • Bab Ash-Shaykh (Arabic: باب الشيخ‎) (abbreviation of Ash-Shaykh Abdul-Qadir al-Kilani) is a gate located in today’s Bab Al-Sharqi neighborhood.

References

  1. ↑ Curatola, introduction by Donny George ; edited by Giovanni (2007). The Art and Architecture of Mesopotamia (1st ed.). New York, N.Y.: Abbeville Press Publishers. p. 156. ISBN 9780789209214.
  2. 1 2 3 4 الباب الوسطاني حكاية بغداد المدوّرة وأقدم مدفع عراقي. Narjes Magazine. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  3. ↑ الكشف عن أقدم أبواب بغداد العباسية
  4. ↑ الروضة الندية فيمن دفن من الأعلام في المقبرة الوردية - د. محمد سامي ابراهيم الزبيدي - بغداد 2016 - صفحة 7.

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