Jerusalem’s Old City Walls: A Journey Through Time and Faith

The past and present collide at every turn in Jerusalem. On this walking tour along the ancient ramparts (old city walls), you’ll experience breathtaking views over both the Old City and modern Jerusalem, while literally straddling the boundary between them. As you traverse these Ottoman walls, built by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 1500s, you’ll find out how these fortifications have seen three millennia of history. I’ll also tell you how they continue to unite and divide this extraordinary city.

The tour starts at Jaffa Gate, from where you’ll walk atop the massive stone walls of the David Citadel. As you continue along the southern section, you’ll gaze down upon Mount Zion with its sacred Dormition Abbey and Room of the Last Supper, and see bullet-scarred Zion Gate, which reminds visitors of the fierce 1948 battles for the city.

You’ll marvel at the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque from an exclusive vantage point while learning about Temple Mount’s significance to three major faiths. You’ll pass centuries-old cemeteries, and go through Lions’ Gate and into the Muslim Quarter. The tour ends back at Jaffa Gate, where you’ll hear about the forgotten Ottoman clock tower that once stood proudly over the entrance.

During this 90-minute tour, you’ll have the chance to:

• Examine the defensive architecture of Jerusalem’s walls, including arrow slits, bent entrances, and strategic outposts
• Admire the breathtaking panorama of the Mount of Olives with its ancient Jewish cemetery and significant Christian churches
• Explore the massive Herodian stones at the base of Temple Mount that have survived since the time of Jesus
• Walk above the Kidron Valley and its extraordinary “Tombs of the Kings,” directly carved into the cliffside
• Stand at the spot where Israeli paratroopers broke through Lions’ Gate during the Six-Day War in 1967
• Pass over the hidden underground world of Zedekiah’s Cave beneath the Muslim Quarter
• Go through the New Gate, the youngest entrance to the Old City, created in 1889 for Christian pilgrims
• Learn about the people and events that shaped Jerusalem’s complex religious and political landscape

This unique perspective on Jerusalem offers both sweeping city views and intimate glimpses into the people who have lived in and around these ancient fortifications. Don’t miss this opportunity to walk in the footsteps of sultans, pilgrims, and warriors who have traversed these same walls for centuries.