A portcullis is a heavy, vertically closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications, consisting of a latticed grille made of wood and/or metal, which slides down grooves inset within each jamb of the gateway.
Portcullis at Desmond Castle, Adare, County Limerick, Ireland
The inner portcullis of the Torre dell'Elefante in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
Double portcullis gates at Petersberg Citadel, Erfurt
A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word derived from old Norse "gat" meaning road or path; But other terms include yett and port. 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.
Gate from Bucharest (Romania)
Art Nouveau gate of Castel Béranger (Paris)
Candi bentar, a typical Indonesian gate that is often found on the islands of Java and Bali
Japanese Torii at Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Japan, where the Hindu goddess Saraswati is worshipped as the Buddhist-Shinto goddess Benzaiten
