Babylon’s gates were strategically located along the city’s fortified walls, which were among the most extensive in the ancient world, stretching over 15 kilometers. The gates were not uniform in design; while all were constructed with mudbrick and faced with glazed bricks in vibrant colors, their size, decorative motifs, and the deities they honored varied according to their ceremonial or defensive function. Many gates were richly adorned with bas-reliefs of lions, dragons, and other symbolic creatures, illustrating the power of Babylonian kings and the protective authority of the gods. Beyond their practical function of regulating entry, the gates formed key points for processions, religious observances, and display of royal propaganda.

Babylon’s gates were distinguished by monumental scale, ceremonial symbolism, and artistic sophistication. Constructed primarily from mudbrick, they were faced with glazed bricks in blue, yellow, and brown hues, often depicting animals and mythological creatures. The gates incorporated arched openings, defensive towers, and inscriptions in cuneiform, recording dedications to gods or the achievements of kings. Beyond practical function, the gates were carefully designed to convey the city’s political and religious hierarchy, demonstrating the interconnection of urban planning, defense, and ritual performance in Neo-Babylonian society.

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The reconstructed Ishtar gate in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. The external facade features two columns and five rows of depicted animals on two seperate panels on each side of the entrance portal. Rows on both panels from top to bottom depict aurochs, mušḫuššus, aurochs, mušḫuššus, aurochs respectively.

The Ishtar Gate was dedicated to the goddess Ishtar and served as the main ceremonial entrance for processions into the city. Its glazed-brick reliefs of lions symbolized the goddess’s power and protection.

The Enlil Gate, less well-preserved, was aligned with temples devoted to Enlil, emphasizing the god’s role in Babylonian cosmology and urban order. It was situated on the western flank of the city across the Euphrates river, in the northern wall.

The Royal Gate or King’s Gate provided access for the monarch and visiting dignitaries, functioning as a secure and symbolic threshold into the western part of the city, situated across the Euphrates. It was built in to the western wall, north of the Adad Gate, of the city's fortification walls.

The Adad Gate was associated with the storm god Adad, reflecting the military and agricultural significance of divine favor. The gate was one of the two gates built in to the western wall of the western section of the city. It was located south of the Adad gate.

The Shamash Gate honored the sun god Shamash, whose association with justice was symbolically important for regulating civic life. The gate was built in to the southern wall of the western section of the city.

The Uras Gate was dedicated to Uras, the goddess of the city’s protective rituals. It was built near the eastern egde of the Euphrates river, in the southern wall of the city's eastern section.

The Zababa Gate was linked to Zababa, a war deity, and marked strategic defensive approaches. It was constructed in to the eastern inner wall of the eastern section of ancient Babylon. It was situated near the southern end of the eastern wall.

The Marduk Gate celebrated Marduk, Babylon’s patron deity, reinforcing the city’s spiritual and political centrality in Mesopotamia. It was a major gate and was situated in the middle of the eastern wall.