the Travel Enthusiast
- 14 Sep
Visiting the old city of Jerusalem
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is one of those cities that, although strongly associated with spirituality, you don’t really need an ounce of spirituality to appreciate wholly. The Old City of Jerusalem is a melting pot of history both ancient and modern, of various cultures, and even different religious beliefs, a place where every little nook is heavy with the weight of centuries of history and human civilization.
While Jerusalem on the whole is an exciting city with much to offer to its visitors, no visit to the holy city is complete without a thorough tour of the Old City, which has been the beating heart of the region for millennia. Here are some useful tips for visiting the old city of Jerusalem, to help you make the most of this exciting travel experience.
Four quarters, seven gates
Damascus Gate, photo by Rosemary Dukelow
The Old City of Jerusalem is not large, but it is very compact, and so many things are crammed in this small space that you can’t help but feel overwhelmed.
There are four distinct quarters in the city, each centered around a different belie or ethnicity: the Muslim quarter, the Armenian quarter, the Jewish quarter and the Christian quarter, each with their own particularities.The four quarters are surrounded by a 16th century wall built by the Ottoman Turk sultan Suleyman the Magnificent.
There are eight gates in the wall, of which seven can still be used today: Jaffa Gate, the busiest, New Gate, which is a convenient way to enter the Christian Quarter, Damascus Gate which is the most impressive of the seven gates, Herod’s Gate, St Stephen’s Gate which faces the Mount of Olives, the Golden Gate which has been sealed, the Dung Gate leading to the Jewish Quarter, and lastly Zion Gate, leading to the Armenian Quarter.
Walking in the Old City
Jewish Quarter, photo by Chris Yunker
The Old City is positively diminutive compared to modern Jerusalem, but it is so intricate in its design that you can even find yourself getting lost if you don’t pay attention. The narrow cobbled stones lead into even narrower alleys that are often not even marked on the map, so it’s easy to get sidetracked when you are exploring.
But wandering aimlessly in the Old City is half the fun, because you get to see wonderful places that are not significant enough to be considered attractions. Let yourself caught up in the twisting maze of alleys, but come equipped with good shoes and give yourself the chance to stop for delicious snacks.
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travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)The jewels of the city
the Noble Sanctuary, photo by Jeffery Beggerly
There are so many attractions to be seen in the Old City that you’d better make a list before embarking on the trip. Each quarter has its fair share of things to see, and even outside the walls there are several places closely associated with the Old City and well worth seeing, like the Mount of Olives.
St James’s Cathedral in the Armenian Quarter, Hurva Square in the Jewish Quarter, the Noble Sanctuary (depending on the political situation, non-Muslims may not be granted entry) in the Muslim Quarter, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter are only a few of the many highlights of the magnificent Old City.
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