Old City Ramparts Walk and Nearby Sights: Week 4 / Day 28 / Feb 7
Jerusalem, Israel: I decided to take the Ramparts Walk around part of the Old City and for a different view. As noted before, the walls are a relatively recent addition to the Old City (1500s). Given the recentness of their construction it is not shocking that they have reused some older materials in making them.
Shown above are two exterior shots of the wall with the one on the right in closeup. Although on its side, the stone shows clear markings of an inscription from the Tenth Roman Legion. This particular detail was pointed out by the guide after our tour of the Old City.
The Ramparts Walk begins at Jaffa Gate where my tour also began.
As the second picture shows, the Jaffa Gate is a traditional left-turning defensive gate (hard for a right handed person to fight their way in with the walls constraining swings of sword and club). However, as the picture below shows, the gate seems to be missing one of the key features of a defensive gate.
That would be the ability to impede traffic. As you can see the wall has a hole large enough to drive a truck through it. This breach was created at the request of Kaiser Wilhelm II. He was going to visit the city and was on good terms with the ruling Ottomans. He had a couple of requests for his visit. First he wanted to ride a white stallion into the city while dressed as a Crusader. Given prior history with the Crusaders this was an odd request, but was granted. Secondly, his wife was ill and would need to be transported by car. So, could you please break open the wall to allow my car through? No problem.
Just inside the gate are stairs to ascend the wall and begin to walk the ramparts. Right near the stairs sits a currency exchange shop.
Now, I am not saying that such businesses should not exist. I am just used to seeing them called Currency Exchange or something like that. I think given prior events, I would not want to own a shop called Money Changer this close to the Temple. Which, of course, then reminds that when asking “What Would Jesus Do?” – Flipping tables over and whipping people are within the set of possible answers.
Once atop the ramparts the walk heads north towards the Lions Gate.
Although separated by religious belief, the population seems united in their love of satellite TV.
Along the way the ramparts cross the Damascus Gate.
Everything here is built in layers with building atop building. While walking the Damascus Gate complex, the waves in the floor remind that you are walking on the roofs of buildings with domed ceilings below.
Along the way once can see over the wall to a green area behind a bus / taxi stand. This is the location of the Garden Tomb held by some to be the site of Jesus’ burial.
Proceeding further one must dismount the walls at Herod’s Gate – the path is supposed to continue to the Lions Gate, but the pathway is fenced and locked at this point.
Walking through the Muslim Quarter through shops and residences, I headed towards the Lions Gate.
Along the way, I passed by the Bethesda Pools. Within this complex are a garden, the pools themselves, and the Basilica of St. Anne. Given that I mentioned the gardens, you can guess that there were some nice flowers in bloom.
Adjacent to the gardens is the Basilica of St. Anne built atop the spot where the Virgin Mary was born. St. Anne is the mother of the Virgin Mary and her father was Joachim. The church was built in the 1100s in a medieval style.
Just outside of the church is the Bethesda Pools complex itself. The pools have existed since the eighth century BC with changes over the years. There are two large pools that have been there since the first century BC. One of these pools was intended for the capture of freshwater and the other pool was a gathering spot for pilgrims in search of healing. There are a series of steps that can be seen leading down into this larger and deeper pool. It was here that Jesus healed a paralyzed man on the sabbath incurring the wrath of the priests.
After leaving the pools I headed out of the Old City through the Lions Gate. Immediately down the hill and to the right are the Garden of Gethsemane and Mt. of Olives. Gethsemane means “oil press” indicating that olives from the nearby trees were processed here for their oil. It was here that Jesus and his disciples prayed during the night before the events of Easter. The exact location of the garden is a topic of some dispute, but the basic area is widely agreed.
At the foot of the hill is the Church of All Nations. This church houses the stone on which Jesus prayed in agony prior to his betrayal by Judas.
The latin text being held in the second picture says “In his anguish and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” according to Google Translate. Obviously, an allusion to Luke 22:44 mixed through my typing skills.
Churches have been built and destroyed upon this site many times. This most recent incarnation was completed in 1924. Although of recent vintage, the mosaic work of the interior is still quite striking.
Leaving the church grounds (and its gardens):
I headed up the Mt. of Olives in a vain attempt to find the entrance to the Church of Mary Magdalene (the Russian Orthodox one shown earlier with the golden onion domes). I must have just missed it as I walked all the way to the top of the mountain without finding the entrance. Along the way I passed the many graves of the hillside cemetery and had good views back on the Temple Mount.
Reaching the top of the Mt. of Olives I was surprised that the most prominent structure seemed to be the Mt. Olive Bazaar (a grocery store). Yes, there are many monasteries and chapels, but they all seemed a bit more understated than the grocery store.
I said earlier that I would not cast doubt upon any religious beliefs or traditions. However, I have to bend that a rule a bit and say that if Jesus and the disciples were supposed to have climbed the Mt. of Olives on a regular basis, that is a pretty impressive feat. I was exhausted by the time I got up there. Of course, I was also not a first century shepherd either, so, there is that.
Heading back down I made my way to the Dung Gate to re-enter the city. Along the way there were good views again of the hillside cemetery and the mountain.
At the base of the valley is the Pillar of Absalom.
Held to be the burial place of King David’s rebellious son Absalom, who was killed during his attempted insurrection, the pillar was unfortunately built in the first century.
Making my way back into the Old City, I passed by the Western Wall again, before heading home for the night.
