Bab Houd

Bab Houd is the most famous of the seven remaining gates of Homs. Its name appears in a Mamluk text from 1287 CE as “the Gate of the Prophet Houd.” The entrance is an arch stabilized by three-tiered muqarnas and is topped by a foundational inscription in Naskh script mentioning Prince Baibars al-Jashnakir. The gate’s preservation is highlighted by a 1985 restoration, where the original stone entrance was moved two meters to the east to widen the street while preserving its Mamluk character. During the 2012 crisis, it was struck by a shell that shattered its plaster frieze, but an initiative by “Homs Engineers” re-secured the original blocks using lime mortar that matched the original composition. Today, the gate is the starting point for a “walled city” tour that showcases the succession of civilizations from the Aramaic to the Ottoman eras.