Iron Gates

The Iron Gates (Romanian: Porțile de Fier, Serbian: Đerdapska klisura, Hungarian: Vaskapu-szoros, German: Eisernes Tor, Turkish: Demirkapı) is a gorge on the River Danube. It forms part of the boundary between Serbia and Romania. In the broad sense it encompasses a route of 134 km (83 mi); in the narrow sense it only encompasses the last barrier on this route, just beyond the Romanian city of Orșova, that contains two hydroelectric dams, with two power stations, Iron Gate I Hydroelectric Power Station and Iron Gate II Hydroelectric Power Station.

The gorge lies between Romania to the north and Serbia to the south. At this point, the river separates the southern Carpathian Mountains from the northwestern foothills of the Balkan Mountains. The Romanian side of the gorge constitutes the Iron Gates natural park, whereas the Serbian part constitutes the Đerdap national park.

Names

In English, the gorge is known as Iron Gates or Iron Gate. An 1853 article about the Danube in The Times of London referred to it as "the Iron Gate, or the Gate of Trajan."

Iron Gate

Iron Gate can refer to

See also

Iron-Gate Square

Iron-Gate Square (Plac Żelaznej Bramy) is a large open space in the city center of Warsaw. The square took its name from a large iron gate that once secured the western boundary of the Saxon Garden.

History

In the 17th century, the area to the west of Warsaw's Old Town was being parceled out and rapidly built up. It was there that the widow of Jan Wielopolski founded a small town (jurydyka) named Wielopole after her late husband. The town was centered on a small market place dubbed Targowica Wielopolska, "Wielopole Market Place." Though the town was small and poor, it was probably designed by Tylman van Gameren, one of the most renowned architects of the age. The town bordered another small market town, Mirów. In the 18th century, the mighty Radziwiłł family built a palace there. The structure was later bought and expanded by the Lubomirski family, which gave their name to the palace. About the time the palace was built, the town began to prosper.

Under King August II, the area was completely rebuilt. As August was obsessed with the idea of a "Saxon Axis," he decided to demolish the poor wooden houses in the area and incorporate the market place into the city of Warsaw. The Lubomirski Palace was also to be demolished, as it was constructed some 30 degrees off the axis. However, the plan had to be called off due to financial difficulties and the eventual death of the monarch. Nevertheless, the area continued growing thanks to both the palace and the local market place. It was there that the first permanent coffee house in Warsaw was opened in 1759. It was also there, in the market place, that six large barracks of the Royal Horse Guard were built.

Iron Gate (Central Asia)

The Iron Gate is a defile between Balkh and Samarkand. It breaks up the mountains which extend from the Hisar range south towards the Amu Darya. In ancient times it was used as the passage between Bactria and Sogdia and was likely of great importance to any power in the region. Its name comes from the belief that an actual gate, reinforced with Iron, stood in the defile. It is located to west from Boysun, Surxondaryo Province.

References

Soucek,Svat (2000). A History Of Inner Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 5. ISBN 978-0521657044. 

Coordinates: 38°13′17.7″N 66°54′24.6″E / 38.221583°N 66.906833°E / 38.221583; 66.906833