Thread of Ariadne: Guidebook ~ Israel ~ Jerusalem ~ Jaffa Gate. Jaffa Gate - the main entrance to the historic center of Jerusalem Photo attraction: Jaffa Gate

They face west, towards the Mediterranean Sea and open a passage to the Christian and Armenian quarters of the Old City. Previously, this gate was called Hebron or David's, right behind them is the famous Tower of David.

A bit of history

The Jaffa Gate that we see today was erected in 1538 on the site of the destroyed first gate on this site. The construction of the gate was initiated by Suleiman the Magnificent. The name "Jaffa" means that this gate leads to Jaffa, the main port city of that time. But during the invasion of the Crusaders, this gate received a new name - the Gate of David.

Over the course of history, the gate has changed its owner more than once, changed its name, but has never been destroyed, so we see them as they were many centuries ago.

The only “wound” that the gate received was a breach in the wall, which was formed after the visit of the German Kaiser at the end of the 19th century.

How to get there

• A large number of buses travel to the Old Town, and even through its territory. These include 1, 3, 43, 51, 111, 8, 38 and 76.
• If you are staying in Jerusalem itself and are a lover of hiking, then you can easily walk to the Old City on your own. Just choose not very hot and sunny days for the trip.
• Most of the sights of the Old City are must-see sightseeing points, so you can get to it. And also listen to many along the way interesting facts by purchasing such a tour.
• As always, the most convenient way to get to any place is by rented car or taxi. By the way, at the Jaffa Gate there is an underground parking for tourists who came to see the Old City.

Contacts

Address: Old City, Jerusalem, Israel

Jaffa Gate (Hebr. שער יפו‏‎, Sha'ar Yafo; Arabic باب الخليل‎, Bab al-Khalil, Gate of the Friend, Hebron Gate; also Arabic Bab Mihrab Daud, "Gate of the prayer niche of David"; also Gate of David) - stone portal in the historic walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. One of the eight open gates in the walls of the Old City; are the main gates of the Christian and Armenian quarters. Located in the western part of the Old City at the most important intersection of the western road leading to Jaffa and the southern road leading to Bethlehem and Hebron. These two roads are to this day the central arteries of Jerusalem. The only one of the gates of the Old City facing west, towards mediterranean sea; and also the only ones located at right angles to the wall. This arrangement may have been chosen as a defensive measure to slow down the advance of the attackers; or to orient the gate in the direction of the Jaffa road, by which the pilgrims arrived at the end of their journey from the port of Jaffa. Like the stones used in the construction of all other parts of the walls of the Old City, the stones of the Jaffa Gate are large sand-colored hewn blocks. The height of the entrance is about 6 meters, and the wall rises another 6 meters above it.

Titles

Both the Jaffa Gate and the Jaffa Road are named after the port of Jaffa on the Mediterranean coast, from which the prophet Jonah set off on his sea voyage and in which pilgrims landed on their way to the Holy City. Modern Highway 1, starting from the western end of the Jaffa road, is the completion of the same route in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The Arabic name for the gate, Bab el-Khalil (Gate of the Friend), refers to Abraham, God's favorite, buried in Hebron. Since Abraham lived in Hebron, another name for the Jaffa Gate is "Hebron Gate". Arabs also call this gate Bab Mihrab Daoud (Gate of the prayer niche of David), since King David is considered a prophet in Islam. The crusaders who rebuilt the citadel near (south) Jaffa Gate also built a gate behind the current location of Jaffa Gate, calling it "Gate of David" after the Tower of David.

Ottoman period

Construction

They were solemnly opened in 1538 on the site of an earlier period gate, as part of a project to restore the walls of the Old City by order of Suleiman the Magnificent, ruler of the Ottoman Empire. Immediately inside the gate, behind an iron lattice fence on the left, are two graves. It is believed that these are the graves of two architects who were commissioned by Suleiman to build the walls of the Old City. According to legend, when Suleiman saw that the architects left Mount Zion and the tomb of King David outside the walled area, he ordered them to be killed. However, out of respect for their impressive accomplishments, he buried them inside the walls next to the Jaffa Gate.

The main gate through which you can get to the Christian and Armenian quarters of the Old part,. This is perhaps the busiest gate in the city, as a huge flow of vehicles and pedestrians runs through it every day. Jaffa Gate is one of the version of our site.

Passage through the Jaffa Gate is through a large opening in the wall. And by the way, this is the only gate in the city that faces west. They were built in the 16th century by order of the most influential Ottoman ruler Suleiman I. In those days they were called the Gates of David. The breach in the wall appeared much later, during the visit of the German Kaiser at the end of the 19th century. It is through this gap that the old part of the city is connected to the new one.

Today, many tourists visiting Jerusalem want to visit this landmark, as it is surrounded by many memorable places. So, for example, crossing the square behind the Jaffa Gate, you can get to the Christian Quarter, where there are about 40 shrines. Also, next to the gate is famous Tower David.

Finding the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem is not difficult, since Jaffa Street is one of the central streets of the city. After walking along it at a leisurely pace for 10-15 minutes, you can be right up to the gate. Immediately behind them there is an information center where you can learn about excursions to the historical sites of the city.

Photo attraction: Jaffa Gate

Construction

=== Construction

Yli were built in 1538 by order of the ruler of the Ottoman Empire Suleiman the Magnificent on the site of the gate of an earlier period. In the era of the Crusaders, the gate was called the Gate of David, after the name of the nearby citadel (Tower of David). Located in the western part of the Old City at the most important intersection of the western road leading to the port of Jaffa and the southern road leading to and. These two roads are the central arteries of Jerusalem to this day.

Break in the wall

When Kaiser Wilhelm II visited Jerusalem in 1898, the Ottoman authorities decided to destroy part of the fortress wall at the Jaffa Gate and fill up part of the moat at the Tower of David, so that the emperor could freely enter the city in his carriage. Through this gap, road communication between the old and the new city is carried out to this day.

Clock tower

In 1907, a thirteen-meter clock tower was built over the gate in honor of the 32nd anniversary of the reign of Sultan Abdul-Hamid II. The tower did not stand for long and was dismantled in 1922.

British Mandate

In 1917, British General Edmund Allenby entered the Old City through the Jaffa Gate on foot in deference to the city and to avoid comparison with the Kaiser who visited Jerusalem in 1898.

Gateway between 1948-1967

According to the ceasefire agreement between and at the end of the First Arab-Israeli War of 1947-1949, the Jaffa Gate was in no man's land and was closed until 1967.

Square

A small square outside the Jaffa Gate delimits the Christian and Armenian quarters. On the right side of the square is the Tower of David (now the Museum of the History of Jerusalem). Immediately outside the gate on the left you can see the burials, according to legend, belonging to the builders of the wall, who were executed on the orders of Sultan Suleiman for not enclosing Mount Zion with a fortress wall.

Currently

After the unification of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War in 1967, the gates opened again. Currently, there is an underground car park near the Jaffa Gate for tourists visiting Old city, and shopping mall Mamila.

The Zion Gate is one of eight gates in the fortress wall around the Old City. The gate is located on the southern part of the wall and serves as an entrance to the Armenian Quarter. They were built later than all the other gates in 1540 under the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

Zion Gate got its name from the fact that its exit leads to Mount Zion, although in ancient times another mountain was called Zion. The Arabs call the gate "Bab an-Nabi Daoud", which means "Gate of the Prophet David", since not far from them there is a tomb where, according to legend, King David was buried.

Ancient decorations belonging to the Mamluk and Turkish periods have been preserved on the gates.

jaffa gate

The Jaffa Gate is the main gate of the Armenian and Christian quarters of the old part of Jerusalem, the only gate facing west, to the Mediterranean Sea. They were built on the site of the former ones by order of Suleiman the Magnificent, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire, in 1538.

Jaffa Gate is located at the most important intersection of two central Jerusalem arteries: the western road that leads to the port of Jaffa, and the southern road that leads to Hebron and Bethlehem. On a small square located outside the Jaffa Gate and delimiting the Armenian and Christian quarters, on the right is the Tower of David - today it is the Museum of the History of Jerusalem, and on the left are the burial places, according to legend, belonging to the builders of the wall, who was executed by Sultan Suleiman because Mount Zion was not one of them. surrounded by a fortified wall.

Today, Jaffa Gate houses an underground car park for visitors to the Old City, a post office, the Mamila shopping center, and the Christian Information Center.

St Stephen's Gate

St. Stephen's Gate is known by several names: Lion's, Gethsemane's, Blessed Virgin's Gate, Sheep's Gate, Jehoshaphat's Gate, Gate of the Knees. Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr mentioned in the New Testament. He was stoned for preaching the Good News in Jerusalem around 33-36 A.D. According to Christian tradition, he died as a martyr outside the city wall at the Lion's Gate.

The Lion Gate was built in 1538-39 during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire. The gate is the entrance to the Muslim Quarter of the Old City, from where the Way of the Cross of the suffering of Jesus Christ begins along Via Dolorosa.

Damascus Gate

The Lady's Gate is also called Shekh'm and is one of the most beautiful in all of Jerusalem. This is the northern gate of the Old City, from where you can get to the Muslim quarter and the nearby Arab market. The stone gates are two large loophole towers, the top of which is made of teeth.

The gate was built by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1542 on the site of an ancient Roman triumphal gate that had existed here since the second century. Behind the gates began the road to the cities of Shechem and Damascus, from which their name came. In modern times, the Damascus Gate has been restored.

St. Stephen's Gate (Lion's Gate)

The gates of St. Stephen are named after the Christian first martyr, who, according to legend, was stoned near them. This is not the only name. The second name of the gate - Lion's - is given by the bas-reliefs depicting a lion. The lion was the symbol of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars (1260) and was used as a coat of arms by Suleiman II. Legend has it that they were lions that threatened to eat Sultan Selim I, Suleiman's father and the first Ottoman sultan, if he destroyed Jerusalem. Suleiman gave them the name Bab al-Ghor (Gate of the Valley). The Crusaders called their gates the Gates of Jehoshaphat.

These days, on the east side of the Old City, this is the only open gate. From them begins the path along Via Dolorosa. Through them it is easiest to get to the Mount of Olives from the city.

jaffa gate

I "ff gate is one of the busiest gates of the Old City in Jerusalem, city traffic flows pass next to them. The gate was built in 1538 under Suleiman the Magnificent, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire.

The Jaffa Gate faces west and from them began the ancient path to the Mediterranean port of Jaffa. The gate also serves as the main entrance to the Christian and Armenian quarters.

To the right of the gate, part of the wall is missing; it was dismantled at the end of the 19th century to make way for the carriage of German Emperor Wilhelm II. This gap in the city wall still provides road communication between the Old City and the new one.

Damascus Gate

The Damascus gates go to the north of the city, and from them the road to Shechem and Damascus begins. The gate that we see now stands on the site of an earlier building of the Roman period. The Roman gate consisted of three arches, the eastern one of which is still preserved.

Currently, the Damascus Gate consists of two towers, on each of which you can see hinged loopholes. They are the main entrance to the Muslim quarter and the exit to the Arab market.

Recently, this attraction has been intensively restored, especially its part, the so-called "crown" - this is an ornament at the top of the gate, which was destroyed during the Six-Day War between some Arab states and Israel in 1967. He was restored from photographs.

Golden Gate

According to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem through the Golden Gate, facing towards the Mount of Olives and Bethany.

The Golden Gate, the oldest gate of the Old City, is located between the Lion Gate and the Hulda Gate in one of the towers of the eastern wall. At present, they are laid with stone, but the arches marking the entrance are clearly visible on the wall.

The golden gates consisted of two entrances, called "gates of repentance" and "gates of mercy". The gate was built by the Romans after the destruction of Jerusalem during the first Roman-Jewish war.

During Byzantine Empire the gates were open, through them entered Byzantine emperor Heraclius after the victory over the Persians. After the capture of Jerusalem by the Turks, Suleiman the Magnificent in 1541 ordered the Golden Gate to be tightly sealed to prevent the entry of the Messiah.

One way or another, the gates are closed until today. They are best seen from the outside.

garbage gate

The Garbage Gate, also called the Dung Gate, is located on the south side of the Old City in Jerusalem. The Garbage Gate is the smallest among the other gates of the Old City. However, the main entrance to the Jewish Quarter was laid through them and Main way to the Wailing Wall. This gate is mentioned in the Bible in the book of Nehemiah. Presumably, the gate got such an obscene name for a city building due to the fact that garbage was transported through it from the Temple in Jerusalem to the valley of Hinnom.

The dung gate was built under the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The Arabs call them the Moorish Gate because of their proximity to the quarter where immigrants from North Africa settled.

New Gates of Jerusalem

Hamida or the New Gate is located at an altitude of almost 800 meters above sea level in the wall of the Old City, while being the highest point fortifications. The construction of the gate was carried out at the end of the 19th century by order of the Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid II, and this justifies their name. The reason for the construction was the visit of the German Kaiser Wilhelm II, but then they were not useful - he used the Jaffa Gate.

Christian pilgrims to the Jerusalem Temple of the Resurrection of Christ went through the Jaffa Gate, and their flow was significant. The construction of the New Gates made it possible to remove the load from them and simplify the path to the shrine from the new districts of the city, the Notre Dame de France monastery and the Russian Compound.

During the War of Independence, during which East Jerusalem became Jordanian territory, the New Gate fell on the line separating Israel and Jordan and was closed. They were only able to be reopened in 1967, when Israel liberated these territories during a week-long war.

Sights of Jerusalem