Egypt: Cairo: other - Bab An-Nasr (Victory Gate)

Bab An-Nasr (Victory Gate)

Prior to about 1087, Cairo was not really much of a fortified city with its sun dried brick walls, though this weakness had demonstrated itself on occasions. That year, Badr ad-Din el-Gamali, the visor of El-Mustansir, employed three Syrian brothers from Edessa to build the three main gateways of the Fatimid wall made of stone which was to provide fortification. These massive gates are called the Bab (gate) el-Futuh, Bab an-Nasr and Bab Zuwaila.

Bab An-Nasr or the Victory Gate is located near the Khan al-Khalili market and to the east of Bab el-Futuh, and connected with it via either an interior route throughout the Fatimid wall, or atop the wall. Other than its square towers, which were built at the same time as those of Bab el-Futuh, the gate itself is very similar to its eastern counterpart. There is a short inscription on the gate made by Napoleon's army during their occupation.