What was the main ceremonial gate of Babylon called?

The main ceremonial gate of Babylon was called the Ishtar Gate.

The Ishtar Gate was constructed in Babylon during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled from 605 to 562 BCE. It formed a monumental entrance to the city and connected with the Processional Way used in religious ceremonies. The gate was dedicated to Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess associated with love, war, and political power.

Its surviving decorated surface is famous for deep blue glazed bricks and raised images of lions, aurochs, and dragons. These animals represented important deities, including Ishtar, Adad, and Marduk. The original gate was much larger than the reconstructed section displayed in Berlin.

The Ishtar Gate is sometimes confused with Babylon’s entire city wall or with the Processional Way. It was one part of a larger monumental urban complex, not the name of the whole route or city fortification.