Once a Fort, Always a Fort – Walking the Ramparts

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The walls of the old city absolutely fascinated me, and when I found I could walk the ramparts from the Jaffa Gate on the west wall (not to be confused with the Western Wall) to the Dung Gate on the south wall, I was in. Entrance to the ramparts costs NIS 16 about US $4.70, but if you are looking for history and some fantastic views, it’s worth it.

Jerusalem has been fought over for millennia. As each invader entered the city, they knocked down the city walls, or at least part of them. Once the conquerors were comfortably ensconced, they rebuilt the walls to repel the next round of invaders.

Quarrying stone is hard and heavy work. So, instead of quarrying new stone, the conquerors would re-use the stones they had previously knocked down, or any other dressed stones that happened to be lying around, to rebuild their new, and presumably better, walls. This was brought home to me most forcefully when I looked down at the path along the top of the wall. There, by my feet, was a decoratively carved bit of stone that had once graced part of a wall or gate.

The Old City of Jerusalem was in the hands of the Jordanians from 1948 until the Six Day War in 1967, and Israelis of all stripes were denied access. Israeli Jews could not visit the Western Wall, Israeli Muslims could not visit the Dome of the Rock, Israeli Christians could not visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Jordanian forces used the walls of the Old City as sniper posts.

Today the Old City is in the hands of the Israelis. The sniper posts are gone, though armed soldiers and police are evident. But perhaps most importantly, all people of all religions are allowed to worship freely at their own holy place, regardless of nationality.

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Photos

Escher drawing
Don't know if M.C. Escher ever saw these walls, but it reminded me of one of his drawings.

Comments

[Bill Wilson]

Enjoy!
I know you are enjoying the history! I'm enjoying travelling along with you -Bill