“On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen all day and all night they will never keep silent You who remind the LORD, take no rest for yourselves;” Isaiah 62:6
“By Your favor do good to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.” Psalm 51:18
The Old City of Jerusalem is an exciting place teeming with life and faith. Imagine walking the ancient smooth stones and narrow pathways of the Old City while hearing prayers and music from churches and synagogues with children singing songs of Zion. You’ll see elegant young brides and even wedding ceremonies. Many families from Israel and abroad gather for Bar and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies at the Old City.
The Old City has been divided into four uneven quarters. The current designations were introduced in the 19th century, which are the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian quarters.
According to the Bible, before King David's conquest of Jerusalem the city was home to the Jebusites. The city ruled by King David, and known as the City of David, is believed to be located southwest of the Old City walls. David’s son King Solomon extended the city walls and then Nehemiah returned from Babylon and rebuilt them. In 70 CE the Second Temple and Jerusalem’s Old City were destroyed by the Romans. The wall that encircles the Old City today, was built by Suleiman Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1537.
There are eleven gates with seven open to the Old City:
Open gates include:
New Gate
Damascus Gate
Herod’s Gate
Lion’s Gate
Dung Gate
Zion Gate
Jaffa Gate
Closed gates include:
Golden Gate – also referred to as the Eastern Gate or the Gate of Mercy
Single Gate
Two gates known as the Hulda gates
