In the Footsteps of Jesus: Jerusalem

Jerusalem is situated in between the main part of Israel and the West Bank. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and considered holy by Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, recaptured 44 times and is currently considered the capital of both Israel and Palestine. During the 1948 war, West Jerusalem was captured and annexed to Israel and East Jerusalem was captured and annexed to Jordan. The city was divided with Jordan controlling the old city with its holy sites. Jews were not allowed to visit and there was limited access to Christian holy sites.

Israel captured East Jerusalem in the 1967 war.

The city has grown from its early days and now has about 850,000 people, with more than 500,000 Jewish, 300,000 Palestinian, and a smattering of Christians. The oldest part of the city is surrounded by walls built by the Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (great name). The walls are 8ft thick and 40 ft high! The city has 8 gates and is divided into 4 quarters: Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim.

Zion Gate

Dung Gate

The Zion Gate: Bearing Jerusalem’s earliest biblical name in Hebrew and English, this gate’s Arabic name is the Gate of the Prophet David since the Tomb of King David is adjacent. The Zion Gate leads directly to the Armenian and Jewish quarters.

The Dung Gate: This gate’s unusual name derives from the refuse dumped here in antiquity, where the prevailing winds would carry odors away. This gate leads directly to the Western Wall and the Southern Wall Archaeological Park.

Golden Gate

Lion's Gate

Golden Gate: This gate, in the eastern Temple-Mount wall, may be the best-known of them all. Also called the Gate of Mercy or the Eastern Gate, it was blocked up centuries ago by the Turks because the Messiah is supposed to enter through this gate.

Lion’s Gate: This portal is named after a pair of ferocious-looking animal carvings on either side of it. They are actually tigers, the heraldic symbol of the 13th-century Sultan Beybars. It is also called St. Stephen’s Gate, after the first Christian martyr, who tradition says was stoned nearby. The Lion’s Gate leads to the Pools of Bethesda, the Via Dolorosa, and the markets.

Herod's Gate

Herod’s Gate: Despite its name, the notorious Judean king had nothing to do with this gate. In Arabic and Hebrew this north-facing gate, which leads to the Old City markets, is called the Flowers Gate. Some say the name derives from a rosette carved over it. However, in Arabic a similar word means “awakened,” and may refer to a nearby cemetery and the hope of resurrection.

Damascus Gate

Damascus Gate: This most imposing of Jerusalem’s gateways also faces north and is named for the grand city from which Jerusalem’s rulers once came. It is always a busy thoroughfare, thanks to the bustling markets within. Below the 16th-century gate, archaeologists have uncovered part of the entryway built by Emperor Hadrian in the second century CE.

New Gate

The New Gate: This is the only Old City entryway not part of the original design of the 16th-century walls. It was breached in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire to allow Christian pilgrims quicker access to their holy places within the ramparts. Our hotel is located just outside of this gate.

Jaffa Gate

The Jaffa Gate: This was the destination of Jewish and Christian pilgrims disembarking at the Jaffa port, hence its name. It led (and still leads) directly to the Jewish and Christian quarters, as well as to the most popular parts of the market, and to the Tower of David Museum, once Jerusalem’s citadel and now a showcase of its history.

It snows here sometimes

In the city there are 300 synagogues, 50 churches and 33 mosques. There are also 26 wineries and 1,500 public parks and green areas. More than 3.5 million tourists visit each year.