Prescribed as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1981, the four kilometer wall surrounds one of the most unique cities in the world: Jerusalem. Built and rebuilt over the centuries, the wall and especially the gates have a lot of stories to tell. Our tour guide Henriette Kassis brings their histories to life.
We will start at the so-called New Gate, which is only considered new when compared to Jerusalem standards. It was opened in 1887 to make the traffic in and out of the Old City more convenient. See the hustle and bustle of the Old City as we make our way to the impressive 16th century Damascus Gate. Here you can observe all kinds of people ranging from devout Orthodox Jews hurrying to the Western Wall to Palestinian Muslim women selling their fresh herbs and vegetables.
Only a few hundred meters away is a rather relaxed atmosphere at Herod’s Gate as many Christians, especially on Friday afternoon, head to Lions Gate which is just around the corner of the eastern side of the Old City. The reason? Its proximity to the famous Via Dolorosa, the way Jesus is believed to have walked before his crucifixion.
Walk along the eastern wall through a Muslim cemetery to the Golden Gate. Nobody has been able to enter through this gate for centuries. Henriette will tell you the reason behind it.
After a quick rest at Silwan Gate, which is used by many Jewish devotees for going to the Western Wall, we will stop at Zion Gate for refreshments while Henriette explains the significance of the area.
Before having a mouth-watering Palestinian lunch, we will observe the local life around the Jaffa Gate. This entrance not only leads to the Christian and Armenian quarters but also to the Western part of Jerusalem. And here you will see the only breach in the city wall, which goes back to the year 1898. Why? Just ask Henriette!
