---
title: Cleopatra Gate
slug: cleopatra-gate-05b34
url: /detay/cleopatra-gate-05b34
type: article
language: English
entity:
  primary: Cleopatra Gate
  type: article
  disambiguation: Cleopatra Gate: Ancient Tarsus's surviving Byzantine gate.  See where Cleopatra & Antony met!
  categories:
    - name: Architecture
      slug: mimari
      url: /kategori/mimari
    - name: Travel And Tourism
      slug: seyahat-ve-turizm
      url: /kategori/seyahat-ve-turizm
    - name: Archeology
      slug: arkeoloji
      url: /kategori/arkeoloji
  tags:
    - Cleopatra Gate
    - Byzantine Period
    - Restoration
    - Marcus Antonius
    - Tarsus
author: Melike Saraç
created_at: 2025-06-20T08:26:34.162397+03:00
updated_at: 2025-06-21T15:44:00.294702+03:00
---

# Cleopatra Gate

<!-- CONTEXT: KURE Information Cards for "Cleopatra Gate" -->

## KURE Information Cards

![Tarsus.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/06/20/SEtwlL5WD9AEY8t91waZmbQmfrtQbgBi.jpg)
*T.C. Tarsus Kaymakamlığı. "Kleopatra Kapısı (Deniz Kapısı)." Access Date: June 19, 2025. http://www.tarsus.gov.tr/kleopatra-kapisi.*

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Period(s) | Late Byzantine / Abbasid Period |
| Historical Significance | The Gate Where Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius Met |
| Structural Features | Single-Arched, Horseshoe-Shaped Arch; Height: 6.17–8.50 m; Width: 5.60 m |
| Material(s) | Cut Stone,Horasan mortar |
| Other Name(s) | Sea Gate,Harbor Gate |
| Location | Tarsus,Türkiye,Mersin |

<!-- CONTEXT: Article Content for "Cleopatra Gate" -->

## Article Content

[Cleopatra Gate](/en/detay/cleopatra-gate-07767/llms.txt) is the only surviving structure of the three main gates—Sea Gate, Mountain Gate, and Adana Gate—that were part of the city walls built during the Byzantine Period in the city of [Tarsus](/en/detay/tarsus-2/llms.txt). This gate, also known as the Sea Gate, was constructed using cut stone and Horasan mortar. The passageway is formed with a single horseshoe-shaped arch. The height of the gate varies between 6.17 and 8.50 meters, its depth is approximately 6.18 meters, and its width averages around 5.60 meters. Tarsus had a double-walled fortification system, and these gates were closed in times of war.

![Image](https://cdn.kureansiklopedi.com/media/uploads/2025/06/19/QiYqu70G9iDirUB6gJyH1XStxsfyHz4y.png)
*Cleopatra Gate (T.C. Tarsus Kaymakamlığı)*

### **Construction Period and Architectural Features**

Research based on the building materials and architectural characteristics suggests that the current structure dates between the late Byzantine Period and the Abbasid Era. Historical evidence indicates that another gate may have existed in this location before the current one. Until the late 18th century, the triple-gated city walls remained intact. However, in 1835, the Egyptian ruler Ibrahim Pasha ordered their demolition, leaving only the two-pillared, single-arched Sea Gate standing.

![Image](https://cdn.kureansiklopedi.com/media/uploads/2025/06/19/xufNvCLpIw5q2y7V8CGTHEitr1xxZxhu.png)
*Cleopatra Gate (T.C. Tarsus Kaymakamlığı)*

### **Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius**

According to historical sources and local legends, the meeting of Egyptian Queen [Cleopatra](/en/detay/queen-cleopatra-film-000ae/llms.txt) and Roman General Marcus Antonius in Tarsus inspired the gate’s popular name, “Cleopatra Gate.” In the *Seyahatname* of the famous Ottoman traveler Evliya Çelebi, it is referred to as the “Harbor Gate” (*İskele Kapısı*). Cleopatra and Antonius were ceremonially welcomed at Gözlü Kule, the port of ancient Tarsus, and entered the city through the Sea Gate. Marcus Antonius’s arrival in Anatolia is linked to the power structure established after Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 BCE and the formation of the Second Triumvirate.

### **Current Condition and Restoration**

The original structure of Cleopatra Gate has been partially destroyed and later rebuilt using spolia (reused stones). Today, the gate is presented to visitors with informative displays about its history. However, the restorations have altered its original appearance. As the only remaining gate of ancient Tarsus, Cleopatra Gate now stands prominently in the city center, on [Mersin](/en/detay/mersin-c3cc2/llms.txt) Street, serving as a key historical landmark.

<!-- CONTEXT: Academic Sources and References for "Cleopatra Gate" -->

## Academic Sources and References

1. T.C. Tarsus Kaymakamlığı. "Kleopatra Kapısı (Deniz Kapısı)." Accessed June 19, 2025. http://www.tarsus.gov.tr/kleopatra-kapisi.
2. Türkiye Kültür Portalı. "Kleopatra Kapısı - Mersin." Accessed June 19, 2025.https://www.kulturportali.gov.tr/turkiye/mersin/gezilecekyer/kleopatra-kapisi.