Hadrian's Gate

What makes it special

The gate is three arches of white marble; only the column shafts are a different stone. Each face carries four columns, and the carving above them runs to floral ornament and stylised lion heads. The original had a second storey, which has not survived.

The vault over each passage is divided into a grid of shallow square recesses, carved with daisy-like flowers, fruit and leaves. The carving survived well, helped by centuries hidden inside the city walls.

The two towers either side do not match. The southern one, on your left as you face the gate from the boulevard, is Roman and is called the Tower of Julia Sancta, after a Roman inscription set into its wall. The northern one has Roman lower courses under an upper section of Seljuk work.

The gate was raised to mark the emperor Hadrian's visit to the city. The letters of its Latin dedication are now gone from the stone.

Visiting

There are two stone staircases down from Atatürk Caddesi, because the gate stands at the level of the Roman road, below the modern boulevard. Walk through the middle arch from the boulevard side and look up at the carved vault.

On the far side, turn round and step back to see the full width of the arches and the two towers together. The site has no English signs, so the background on this page is your guide.

Beyond the gate, Kaleiçi's lanes are cobbled and uneven, so wear flat shoes. They lead on to the Yivli Minaret and Hıdırlık Tower, both within easy walking distance.

Tips

Come early if you want the arches with nobody in them. From late morning to mid-afternoon, tour groups gather at the gate, and you may wait 20 minutes for an empty arch.

For the classic picture, stand on the boulevard side and frame the old town through the middle arch.