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Old City, Jerusalem


The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters: Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Muslim.
The Old City was originally built by King David in 1004 B.C.E.  Over the years the Old City has gone through many changes which contributed to it being one of the most fascinating, interesting and important cities in the world.


Towering stone walls, ancient buildings, holy sites, sacred atmosphere, narrow alleyways, colorful markets, different religions coexisting; those are just a few examples of why this is a place like no other.





 
 The Old City looks beautiful in the sunshine, regal and peaceful at night and mysterious and 
beautiful in the rain.  Each season has its advantages but the spring is my favorite.  


The Old City has a total of eleven gates but only seven are open: Jaffa, Zion, Dung, Lion's, Herod's, Damascus and New.  The original gates are angled so one would have to make a sharp 90 degree turn to enter the city.  I have read that this was to prevent enemies on horseback from charging full speed or to make it difficult to use a long battering ram.

 Each quarter has its own flavor, smell and sound.  They are beautiful in their own ways, and have that air of quiet spirituality that is so unique to Jerusalem.  


Comments

  1. Great blog. Your blog refresh my old memories of my Jerusalem trip. Amazing place, great food and best Jerusalem hotels. Thanks for sharing beautiful story with photographs.

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