An early-mid 20th century view of the Citadel's North Gate viewed from east to west with the Banias-Aqrabani Canal seen right bottom corner.
With the exception of its rear wall, the tower is in ruins. About half of its west flank however is still standing. As can be seen from the plan below, Tower 10 had been a double gate, the posterior one fronting the old curtain between Towers 15 and 16. It is unclear if both walls were constructed under the Ayyubid al-Adil. Some attribute the posterior curtain to Saladin, though Professor K. A. C. Creswell of Cairo disagreed.
Through this gate a great breach was effected by Tamerlane in 1400, a prelude to the surrender of the Citadel. The task of repairing the damage fell to the Mameluke Governor Nawruz al-Hafizi in 1406, few years after the withdrawal of the Mongol hordes. The last diagram details the purposefully complex structure of the North Gate (also known as Bab al-Hadid i.e. the Iron Gate) proposing approximate dating of its various components.
With the exception of its rear wall, the tower is in ruins. About half of its west flank however is still standing. As can be seen from the plan below, Tower 10 had been a double gate, the posterior one fronting the old curtain between Towers 15 and 16. It is unclear if both walls were constructed under the Ayyubid al-Adil. Some attribute the posterior curtain to Saladin, though Professor K. A. C. Creswell of Cairo disagreed.
Through this gate a great breach was effected by Tamerlane in 1400, a prelude to the surrender of the Citadel. The task of repairing the damage fell to the Mameluke Governor Nawruz al-Hafizi in 1406, few years after the withdrawal of the Mongol hordes. The last diagram details the purposefully complex structure of the North Gate (also known as Bab al-Hadid i.e. the Iron Gate) proposing approximate dating of its various components.
The Defences of the Citadel of Damascus; a Great Mohammedan Fortress of the Time of the Crusades
D. J. Cathcart King
Archaeologica, Volume XCIV, 1951
قلعة دمشق في النصف الأوّل من القرن العشرين، البرج العاشر وباب الحديد
ReplyDeleteلقطة من الشرق إلى الغرب تظهر فيها بقايا البرج العاشر الواقع فس سور القلعة الشمالي. على يمين وأسفل الناظر نرى قناة بانياس-العقرباني
حالة البرج سيّئة كما نرى باستثناء جداره الخلفي وقسم من الخاصرة الغربيّة. كان باب الحديد في الأصل مزدوجاً يقع قسمه الخلفي على مستوى سور القلعة القديم الواقع جنوب السور النهائي وهناك خلاف فيما إذا كان السوران من عهد الملك العادل أو إذا كان السور القديم يعود لزمن صلاح الدين. في كلّ الأحوال تمكّن تيمورلنك من إحداث فجوة كبيرة في هذه البوّابة وقام نائب دمشق نوروز الحافظي بترميم وتعزيز البرج عام ١٤٠٦ كما يدلّ نقش كتابي فوق المدخل