Old City Guide

Modern Jerusalem spans 48 square miles. The Old City, where it all began, only takes up .35 of those square miles. It’s a very small place in a very small country that has had an absolutely massive influence on world history. All 3 major Abrahamic faiths- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam consider it a holy place.

I've included a few links to old posts if you want to read more about certain places!

  

 

THE WALLS

Jerusalem has been a walled city since ancient times, although the walls have been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current walls were built by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in the 16th century.

THE RAMPARTS

For a small fee you can walk along the ramparts and get amazing views of the walls and the city.

THE GATES

You can enter the walled city through 6 different gates. An additional one, the Golden Gate, was sealed by Suleiman. Jewish tradition says the Messiah will enter through this gate (which may have been Suleiman’s motivation for closing it).

The gates that I’ve used most often, purely by coincidence of where I stayed in the city, are Damascus Gate and Jaffa Gate.

Damascus Gate is the most elaborate of all entrances to the Old City. There is a bustling market both inside and outside the gate.

Jaffa Gate is a convenient walk from many hotels in West Jerusalem. Once you’re through the gate, it’s a straight shot to the Western Wall- and you will pass hundreds of souvenir shops on the way there!

THE SHOPPING

Speaking of souvenirs… shopping in the market is one of my favorite pastimes in the Old City! You can find pretty much anything there. In the more residential areas (about 40,000 people live in the Old City), you’ll find groceries, toys, clothes, cleaning products… you name it. Closer to tourist sites, souvenirs abound.

I particularly love the colorful scarves. I also collected decorative plates currently hanging in my dining room. You can also find many religious items (rosaries, menorahs, olive wood nativities, Muslims prayer beads, etc.).

Be aware that there aren’t typically any price tags- you have to haggle! My strategy is thinking of what I would pay for a similar item at home, having a price in mind that I won’t go over, and knowing that it’s pretty likely the exact same souvenir can be found in 50 other shops that might have a better price. I’ve also just started walking away a few times… at which point the price I wanted is magically offered. 

THE QUARTERS

The Old City is divided into 4 different quarters. The most recognized, most iconic symbol of Jerusalem can be found in the Muslim Quarter. The Dome of the Rock is famous for its beautiful golden dome and colorful tiles (and also, according to both Muslims and Jews, for being the spot where God created the world). It is found on the Temple Mount, or Haram al-Sharif in Arabic, which was previously the location of the First and Second Jewish Temples.

The first temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC, and the second by the Romans in 70 AD. The spot was left empty (and actually used as a garbage dump) when the Christian Byzantines were in charge, until eventually Arabs took control of the city and constructed the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque in the 600s. It is considered a holy place by Muslims because they believe this is where Muhammed ascended to heaven.

One of my favorite places/hidden gems in the Muslim Quarter is St. Anne’s Church and the Pool of Bethesda (they’re right next door to each other). St. Anne’s is a Crusader-era church owned by France, and the Pool of Bethesda is believed to be the location where Jesus healed a paralyzed man. There’s a nice garden outside of the church and the pool is surrounded by ancient ruins. I always thought it was a nice, quiet oasis in the middle of the busy Old City.

It’s no surprise that the Christian Quarter is home to what is considered to be the holiest place in the world by millions of Christians worldwide.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is considered by many denominations (including Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox) to be the location of Christ’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. It was the Emperor Constantine’s mother Helena who identified this location in the 4th century.

Another can’t-miss experience in the Old City is walking the Via Dolorosa. A group of priests lead a procession there every Friday. The path starts in the Muslim Quarter, goes through the Christian Quarter, and ends in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The route is supposed to follow the path Jesus took on the way to his crucifixion. At each ‘station of the cross,’ (there are 14 of them), priests will read accounts of what happened there in several languages.

The Jewish Quarter was mostly destroyed during Israel’s War of Independence in 1948. Since Israel gained control of the area from Jordan after the 1967 war, the quarter has been renovated and rebuilt.

The Hurva Synagogue is a symbol of the rebirth of the Jewish Quarter. This is the 4th synagogue to stand in this location. It was most recently rebuilt in 2010 after being most recently destroyed in 1948. They offer tours to learn more about its tumultuous history (and Jewish history in general). There are also great views from the roof!

The Western Wall is by far the most important place in the Jewish Quarter. It is part of the retaining wall of the Second Temple, and is the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray (they are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount due to the Muslim holy sites there and the tension that would result).

There is a particularly special atmosphere there on Friday evenings for the start of the Sabbath. If you have the chance to go, you will likely witness big crowds, singing, dancing, and a lot of joy!

The Armenian Quarter is the smallest of the four. You may be wondering what Armenians are doing in Jerusalem… There has been a small Armenian community as early as the 4th century. It started with a few monks interested in discovering Christian holy sites. More Armenians came along with the Crusaders in the 13th century, and a large wave of Armenian genocide survivors fled there for safety during WWI.

My favorite tourist site in this quarter is the Tower of David Museum. There are museum exhibits all about the fascinating history of Jerusalem- and even better- it’s all located inside an ancient fortress. You can get a great view of the city from there as well!

There is always something new and interesting to discover among the winding streets of the Old City! I fell in love right away with this unique place, and after a lot of travel it remains one of my favorite places in the world. I don't think I could ever get tired of going back.