About the Urfa Kapusı

The Urfa Kapusı (called in older times the Bâbü’r-Rum, or Roman Gate) was the western gate of the city.  It originally dates to the Byzantines in the 4th century (Berchem et al., 1910, p. 295).  It was rebuilt in 1189 during Artukid rule (Sinclair, 1989, p. 171).  There were originally three openings, according to the Byzantine style, with the largest center one for chariots; however only one (the northernmost) was open during the Ottoman period (Sinclair, 1989, p. 171).  It is braced by two larger towers on the east and west sides with circular chambers inside (Sinclair, 1989, p. 172).  The south side of each of the entrances once went through a guardhouse, of which only the easternmost survived (Sinclair, 1989, p. 171).  The northernmost gate was rebuilt during the Muslim period in 1189 by the Artukid Muhammad, according to an inscription above the lintel (Creswell, 1998, p. 6; Haspolat, 2013, p. 18).  Above the lintel is a carving of an eagle or hawk standing on the horns of an ox skull with a ring in its nose (Berchem et al., 1910, p. 342; Creswell, 1998, p. 6).  The gate is flanked by two sixty-five foot tall towers fifty-six feet apart (Creswell, 1998, p. 6).  The Syriac Orthodox and perhaps others believed that the southernmost gate opened directly into the ʻEdtā d-Yaldat Ilaha Maryam, which extended to the walls (Berchem et al., 1910, page 193; Haspolat, 2013, p. 18).