The Ishtar Gate was built in the sixth century BC by Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon. It was dedicated to the goddess Ishtar and was a popular site for processions. Parts of the gate were found in 1899 and reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. The gate is now a popular tourist attraction.
The Ishtar Gate is a formidable structure that once guarded one of the eight entrances to the city of Babylon. Originally thought to be lost, parts of the Ishtar Gate were unearthed in 1899, and a reconstruction of the gate with much of the original material, including the dedication plaque, was completed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin in the 1930s. Today, several sections of the Ishtar Gate can be found in museums around the world, and visitors to Berlin can see the restored gate for themselves.
The construction of the Ishtar Gate took place around the sixth century BC, by order of Nebuchadnezzar II, the famous ruler of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar ordered a number of building projects designed to honor the Babylonian gods while beautifying the city, and the massive walls and gates of Babylon were among these projects. When completed, the Ishtar Gate would have truncated onto the surrounding walls, with blue and gold tile decorations and a gate constructed of solid cedar.
This gateway was actually a double gateway, with a covered walkway known as the processional way extending from gateway to gateway. This walk was estimated to have been about half a mile (about a kilometer) long and was also covered by a cedar roof. The walls along the walk were covered in a pattern of gilded lions against a blue background, while the outer gate walls had depictions of predecessors of the modern cow known as the aurochs, along with dragon-like beasts.
The Ishtar Gate was dedicated to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar, who oversees both love and war, and was a popular site for ceremonial processions and parades. Statues of gods and goddesses could be paraded down the processional way for major religious events, and prominent members of society also attended such events as part of their religious faith. In her time, the gate was considered one of the wonders of the ancient world, along with the walls of Babylon.
The Ishtar Gate is well worth a visit, should you ever find yourself in Berlin. The gate is 47 feet (almost 15 meters) tall and has been carefully restored so that people can get a feel for the original appearance of the gate. Passing through the Ishtar Gate is also an experience, as the architecture and craftsmanship are quite remarkable, considering the fact that the Ishtar Gate was built entirely by hand and without the benefit or assistance of many modern construction tools.
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