Auran Gate
The Gate of Prophesy
One of seven gates in the Old Cadmeian Wall, the Gaian Gate connects the Acropolis districts with the Upland districts and provides access from the Uplands to the Lower City.
History
The Old Cadmeian Wall was constructed by Spartoi and Sidonian settlers during the reign of King Cadmus the Founder. The wall encircled the original footprint of Cadmeia including the Ogygian ruins atop what would come to be known as Citadel Hill, the Serpent Crest atop what would come to be known as the Acropolis, and the Labyrinth of Antique Design, which would be covered in Gallery District structures and largely abandoned. The two original northward-facing gates leading upslope from the city were named in honor of Gaia and Ouranos. A third gate, the Kronos Gate, was later relocated from the disused Western Path to provide a separate entrance onto the growing Gallery District. When the New or Theban Wall was built, and its northernmost gate named in honor of the wind god Boreas, these three northern-facing walls were rededicated to The Breezes, Aura, Aeta, and Pnoia. The Ouranian Gate connecting the Acropolis with the Upland districts was renamed the Auran Gate.Properties
Nicknamed the Gate of Prophecy, the curved ceiling of the passageway through this especially thick portion of wall creates a sound that resembles overlapping whispered voices. Attempts have been made to ascribe a supernatural cause to the sound, whether it conveys messages from the gods, voices of the dead, or echoes of long-past conversations within the city. But although most observers never hear anything more than an imagined hint of meaning in the whispers, it remains a popular spot for study and contemplation. Far above the gate, at the top of the Acropolis, the tower of Tiresias can be seen.On This Page:
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Type
Architectural Element, Entrance / Entryway
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