BEAUTIFUL GATE (ἡ ὡραία πύλη; ἡ ὡραια θύρα, beautiful, fair, lovely gate or door). A gate of Herod’s temple renowned for its splendor and before which Peter and John healed a lame man (Acts 3:2, 10).

Some uncertainty exists concerning the identification of the gate but the evidence seems to favor its being taken as the Nicanor Gate (mentioned in the Mishna, e.g. Middoth, ii. 3, 6) which led from the court of the Gentiles into the women’s court. Judging by an ossuary inscr. discovered on Mt. Olivet, the gate owed its existence to a Jew from Alexandria named Nicanor. Josephus refers to this gate as the Corinthian Gate (Wars, V. v. 3). It was larger than the other gates of the temple being fifty cubits in height. Also, in contrast to the other gates which were covered with only gold and silver, the Beautiful Gate excelled in splendor because of its Corinthian brass.