Bab al-Maqam
Encyclopedia
Bab al-Maqam is one of the Gates of Aleppo
. It was built by al-Aziz Muhammad in 1230 on the road that connected the Maqamat with the Citadel. It is unique in its planning and form. The design's innovative quality implies a monumental, ceremonial function rather than a military one.
Yasser Tabbaa presents an argument that supports this hypotheses. He explains how this gate differs from nearly all other medieval Syrian gates in three very important respects: it has no defense towers; it has a straight instead of a bent axis; and it has three openings instead of one. Most of the gates built after this one were developed for defense reasons; one opening to control access, bent axes to prevent direct passage and two massive defense towers. Bab al-Maqam is the only tripartite gate built in the Ayyubid period. Though triumphal arches are a rare Islamic architecture
type, Tabbaa points to the existence of several precedents such as Bab al-Maydan in Fustat, a brick arch at the foothill of Qal'at- al Bust and the Gate of Wine at the Alhambra
palace. These precedents reinforce the possibility of Bab al-Maqam's ceremonial program both religious, a point of entry to pay homage to Abraham
, and political, countering the Shi'i shrines (Mashhad al-Dikka and Mashhad al-Husayn) to the east.
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
. It was built by al-Aziz Muhammad in 1230 on the road that connected the Maqamat with the Citadel. It is unique in its planning and form. The design's innovative quality implies a monumental, ceremonial function rather than a military one.
Yasser Tabbaa presents an argument that supports this hypotheses. He explains how this gate differs from nearly all other medieval Syrian gates in three very important respects: it has no defense towers; it has a straight instead of a bent axis; and it has three openings instead of one. Most of the gates built after this one were developed for defense reasons; one opening to control access, bent axes to prevent direct passage and two massive defense towers. Bab al-Maqam is the only tripartite gate built in the Ayyubid period. Though triumphal arches are a rare Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture
Islamic architecture encompasses a wide range of both secular and religious styles from the foundation of Islam to the present day, influencing the design and construction of buildings and structures in Islamic culture....
type, Tabbaa points to the existence of several precedents such as Bab al-Maydan in Fustat, a brick arch at the foothill of Qal'at- al Bust and the Gate of Wine at the Alhambra
Alhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
palace. These precedents reinforce the possibility of Bab al-Maqam's ceremonial program both religious, a point of entry to pay homage to Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
, and political, countering the Shi'i shrines (Mashhad al-Dikka and Mashhad al-Husayn) to the east.