Bab al-Hadid

This article is about the gate in Aleppo. For the train station in Cairo sometimes called "Bab al-Hadid", see Ramses Station.

Bab al-Hadid (Arabic: بَاب الْحَدِيْد, romanized: Bāb al-Ḥadīd) meaning the Iron Gate of Victory, is one of the nine historical gates of the Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria.^[1] It is one of the well-preserved gates of old ALEPPO.

Bab al-Hadid
بَاب الْحَدِيْد
Bab al-Hadid in 2010
Alternative names	Iron gate of Victory
General information
Status	restored
Type	City gate
Architectural style	Islamic architecture
Town or city	Aleppo
Country	Syria
Completed	between 1216 and 1236
Renovated	1509, 2020-21
Owner	Az-Zahir Ghazi, Al-Aziz Muhammad
Known for	One of the 9 main gates of the ancient city walls of Aleppo

History

The gate was planned during the reign of Az-Zahir Ghazi and built by his son Mohammed as Bab al-Qanat (the Aqueduct Gate).^[1] It was rebuilt by the final Mamluk sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri in 1509.^[2]

Inside a two-storeyed bastion Bab al-Hadid

The gate and surrounding quarters of the old city are some of the best preserved areas in the old city of Aleppo. It was historically known for its blacksmiths and to this day, there are some operating with the same traditional practices, most of whom have had the trade in their family for many generations.

Restoration of the damaged gate began in September 2020 and was completed in 2021.