Bab al-Nasr (Cairo)

Bab al-Nasr (باب النصر), is one of three remaining gates in the historic city wall of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The gate's construction is dated to 1087 and was ordered by Badr al-Jamali, a Fatimid vizier. It is located at the northern end of Shari'a al-Gamaliya (al-Gamaliya Street) in the old city of Cairo and slightly east of another contemporary gate, Bab al-Futuh.

History
The original Bab al-Nasr was built south of the present one by Fatimid general Jawhar as-Siqilli during the reign of the Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz, when the city was first laid out in 969. Later, the vizier Badr al-Jamali, under Caliph al-Mustansir, enlarged the city and rebuilt the walls in the late 11th century. He replaced the first gate with the present one, naming it Bab al-'Izz ('Gate of Prosperity'). Despite this, the inhabitants have shown preference to the original name meaning "Gate of Victory", which has remained in use to this day. An inscription on the gate dates its construction to the year 1087 AD (480 AH).

Napoleon later named each tower of the north wall after the officers responsible for its security. The names of these French officers are carved near the upper level of the gates, like for example that of Thomas-Prosper Julien, aide-de-camp of Bonaparte in Egypt. The east tower is known as Tour Courbin and the west tower is known as Tour Julien.

Design
It is a massive fortified gate with rectangular stone towers flanking the semicircular arch of the eastern portal. The gate and the surrounding wall were carefully designed for defense. Arrow slits allowed defenders to shoot projectiles at enemies below and projecting towers made it possible to deliver flanking fire as well. Inside the walls and towers were guard rooms and living quarters, connected by vaulted passages. The vaulted stone ceilings inside the gate were innovative in design, in particular the helicoidal vaults of the stairways, which are the oldest of their kind in this architectural context.