Gate

This article is about the point of entry or exit. For other uses, see Gate (disambiguation) and Gateway (disambiguation).

A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls or other barriers. The word is derived from Proto-Germanic *gatan, meaning an opening or passageway. Synonyms include portal. The concept originally referred to the gap or hole in the wall or fence, rather than a barrier which closed it. Gates may prevent or control the entry or exit of individuals, or they may be merely decorative. The moving part or parts of a gateway may be considered "doors", as they are fixed at one side whilst opening and closing like one.

A gate might have a latch that can be raised and lowered to both open a gate or prevent it from swinging. Gate operation can be either automated or manual. Locks are also used on gates to increase security.

Larger gates can be used for a whole building, such as a castle or fortified town. Doors can also be considered gates when they are used to block entry as prevalent within a gatehouse.

Types of gate

• Baby gate: a safety gate to protect babies and toddlers
• Badger gate: gate to allow badgers to pass through rabbit-proof fencing
• Hampshire gate (a.k.a. New Zealand gate, wire gate, etc.)
• Kissing gate on a footpath
• Lychgate, a roofed structure at the entrance to a churchyard
• Mon Japanese: gate. The religious torii compares to the Chinese pailou (paifang), Indian torana, Indonesian Paduraksa and Korean hongsalmun. Mon are widespread in Japanese gardens.
• In fortification, a gate (such as that to a castle or fort, or a city gate) may be contained within a larger gatehouse structure, to make it more secure and imposing. Specific types of gate were used to resist assault, including portcullises (descending grilles) and yetts (iron grilles on hinges, of the same linguistic origin as "gate"). A defensive gate was generally secured with a drawbar, and could include iron reinforcement. Fortified gates may be additionally protected with outer defences like barbicans and drawbridges, and have openings in the surrounding structure (such as machicolations, murder holes or arrowslits) through which defenders could shoot at assailants.
• Race gate used for checkpoints on race tracks
• Slip gate, in which bars are simply inserted into holes or slots in the gateposts to close the 'gate', rather than the gate pivoting on hinges
• Turnstile
• Water gate, to provide access by boat to a fortification
• Slalom skiing gates
• Wicket gate, a small pedestrian gate within a larger vehicle one.

See also

• Barricade
• Bar gate
• Border
• Gate tower
• Gopuram
• Leave the gate as you found it
• Portal (architecture)
• Triumphal arch