Gate

A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word is derived from Proto-Germanic *gatan, meaning an opening or passageway. Gates may be designed for decorative or functional purposes, and they vary widely in style depending on architectural trends and material choices.

Synonyms include yett (which comes from the same root word) and portal. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall or fence, rather than a barrier which closed it. Gates may prevent or control the entry or exit of individuals, or they may be merely decorative. The moving part or parts of a gateway may be considered "doors", as they are fixed at one side whilst opening and closing like one.

A gate might have a latch that can be raised and lowered to both open a gate or prevent it from swinging. Gate operation can be either automated or manual. Locks are also used on gates to increase security.

Larger gates can be used for a whole building, such as a castle or fortified town. Doors can also be considered gates when they are used to block entry as prevalent within a gatehouse.

Purpose-specific types of gate

Baby gate: a safety gate to protect babies and toddlers
Badger gate: gate to allow badgers to pass through rabbit-proof fencing
City gate of a walled city
Hampshire gate (a.k.a. New Zealand gate, wire gate, etc.)
Kissing gate on a footpath
Lychgate with a roof
Mon Japanese: gate. The religious torii compares to the Chinese pailou (paifang), Indian torana, Indonesian Paduraksa and Korean hongsalmun. Mon are widespread in Japanese gardens.
Portcullis of a castle
Race gate used for checkpoints on race tracks
Slip gate on footpaths
Turnstile
Watergate of a castle by navigable water
Slalom skiing gates
Wicket gate

Image gallery

Shankharacharya,Gate,Birgunj, is main entry Point of Nepal from India
This gate and massive gateposts has no locks—a gate marks a borderline in ownership/use and can allow passage.
A small, elegant gate to a meadow path
Ishtar Gate is the oldest city gate in existence
Wringin Lawang, a 14th-century Majapahit split gate, called "Candi bentar", in Trowulan, Java, Indonesia
Richly decorated Indonesian Balinese temple gate called Paduraksa
This gate at Columbia University was closed to prevent entry of protesters
The gate of Finlayson factory in Tampere, Finland
A gate at Kansai University, built in 1923
Malaysian King's Palace Gate, Kuala Lampur
Medieval ironclad city gate, from the Upper Gate in the old town of Ohrid
Chinese traditional type gate (iron gate in front of house) in Kerala, India
Gates decorate routes in the entrance of Muscat, Oman
Kuwait Gate, historically surrounded Kuwait City, built in 1929
Royal Military College of Canada front gates and gatehouse
Ernst Rudolph, By the Entrance
A wooden gate pictured in the coat of arms of Nivala
Decorative emblems of state are also fixed on gates to public buildings, old Royal Melbourne Mint
Gate of Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Bhavnagar, India
Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University gate on the eve of Namvistar Din celebrations reflects Ajanata art
Michael's Gate in Bratislava, Slovakia
St. Louis Gateway Arch
A Chinese Paifang at Foshan, China
Warsaw University main gate, Poland
Gate of Farm Gunsteling in Namibia (2017)
Thai Temple (wat) gate at Wat Suan Dok, Chiang Mai
A gopuram, Hindu temple gate tower, in Sri Lanka
A Japanese temple gate (mon) at Eiheiji
A Moorish architecture gate in Alhambra, Granada, Spain
A French-manner gate of the embassy of Thailand in Paris
Adapted-Korean-manner gate of the embassy of South Korea in Moscow
The Iron Gates of Osgoode Hall, Toronto
Beachside gate with a self-latching device and a higher than 54” release mechanism.
Military style gates in Chatham, Kent, England.

Purpose-specific types of gate

Image gallery

See also