| Gates
are listed in order, beginning at the West Wall and progressing
clockwise around the entire city: |
| WEST
WALL |
JAFFA
GATE - the road to Jaffa leaves from this gate and
is the only gate in the West Wall. The modern Arabic name
is Bab el Khalil, meaning the Gate
of the Friend, for it leads to Hebron. In Byzantine
times it was called Porte David, meaning the Gate
of David, because of its proximity to the Tower of
David in the Citadel. The present Turkish Gate was built
in 1538 on the remains of the previous Crusader Gate. The
hole in the wall by this gate was made in 1898 so that Wilhelm
II of Germany could enter in his royal carriage. It was through
this gate that General Allenby walked on foot marking the
British conquest of Jerusalem in 1917. |
| NORTH
WALL |
NEW
GATE - built in 1899 as an outlet for the Christian
Quater of the city towards the new Christian settlements
located outside. The Arabic name is Bab es-Sultan Abdul
Hamid, meaning the Gate of the
Sultan after Abdul Hamid II. |
SHECHEM
GATE - it's Hebrew name because it leads to Shechem.
In Arabic, it is called the Damascus
Gate because it leads to Damascus. This is the largest
of all the gates of Jerusalem. It begins at the upper reaches
of the Tyropean Valley. During the Byzantine period it was
known as Saint Stephen's Gate due to the tradition that he
was stoned here. The existing gate is built on top of two
others, that of Herod the Great and the Roman Emperor Hadrian. |
SHECHEM
GATE VIDEO CLIPS:
1. Names of the gate, discussion.
2. Walk down steps, towards
the gate.
3. View gate from below, ancient
ruins entrance.
4. Inside the gate ruins, discussion.
5. Enter modern gate, see baby
chicks for sale.
6. Proceed into the Moslem
quarter of Jerusalem.
7. See the people, hear the
sounds within her walls.
8. Exit the Damascus Gate. |
|
HEROD'S
GATE - this is the main gate for the market area of
the Old City. The name comes from a Middle Ages tradition
that identifies this as the area of the palace of Herod Antipas.
In Arabic it is known as Bab Es-Zahira, meaning
The Gate of Flowers because merchants sell their flowers
and fruits nearby. |
| EAST
WALL |
LION'S
GATE
- known as such because of the four lions engraved into the
upper segment of the gate. According to legend, Suleiman
the Magnificent commanded his builders to engrave the lions
due to a dream he had in which he would be devoured by lions
unless he rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. During the Six
Day War this gate was penetrated by the Israelis in the battle
for Jerusalem. OTHER NAMES: Saint Stephen's
Gate, as this the alternate site (as opposed to the
Damascus Gate) of his stoning. Arabic: Bab Sitti Miriam,
meaning The Gate of Our Lady Mary,
because it leads to the Church of Mary's Tomb. Arabic: Bab
el-Asbat, meaning The Gate of
the Tribes. The Gate of Jehoshaphat,
a medieval Christian name since it led to the Valley of Jehoshaphet. |
GOLDEN
GATE
- built in the fifth or sixth century by the Byzantines.
By 629 it was in ruins and was rebuilt by Heraclius. It was
closed in 810 by the Arabs and not reopened until 1102 by
the Crusaders. In 1187 it was walled up by the Ayyubids.
It was re-walled by Suleiman in 1546. The gate is composed
of two arches: the North Arch called Bab el-Tobeh,
meaning the Gate of Repentance and the South Arch called
Bab el-Rahmeh, meaning the Gate of Mercy.
Its
Arabic name is Bab el-Dheriyeh, or the Eternal
Gate. In Christian Tradition it is called the Beautiful
Gate, where Jesus entered on Palm Sunday (Joh 12:13)
and where Peter healed the cripple (Act 3:1-6). In Jewish
Tradition it is called the Shushan Gate of the Temple Compound
and here is where the Jews came to pray prior to the Ayyubid
period. The area became a Moslem cemetary during this time
and the Jews could no longer pray there and so began to pray
at the Western Wall. |
| SOUTH
WALL |
SINGLE
GATE
- Crusader built gate which led to Solomon's Stables and
was sealed by the Ayyubids. |
TRIPLE
GATE
- the present gate is of seventh century Umayyad origin,
but is in the same location as the previous Herodian Gates.
Also known as the Eastern Huldah Gates.
The Triple Gate is sealed. |
DOUBLE
GATE
- also known as the Western Huldah Gates. The Double Gate
is sealed. |
DUNG
GATE
- this is the lowest in elevation of all the gates, leads
out into the Tyrophean Valley and is the gate from which
waste was dumped since second century times. Arabic name
include: Bab el-Magharibeh, meaning the Gate
of the Moors, because it once led to the Moors area
of the Old City -and- Bab Silwan, meaning the Gate
of Silwan, because it faces the Village of Silwan. |
ZION
GATE
- built in 1541 and leads to Mount Zion from the Jewish Quarter
of Jerusalem. Its Arabic name is Bab el-Nabi Daoud, meaning
the Gate of David the Prophet, because it leads to the area
of David's Tomb. The Zion Gate faces the area of the Upper
City of New Testament times. |
