New Gate, Jerusalem

The New Gate stands as a unique addition to Jerusalem's Old City wall, diverging from the original 16th-century design. Erected in 1889 during the twilight of the Ottoman Empire, it holds historical significance distinct from the Second Temple's New Gate referenced in the Book of Jeremiah. Positioned at 790 meters (2,590 ft) above sea level, it represents the highest point along the Old City wall, serving as the swiftest pedestrian route between West Jerusalem and various quarters of the Old City.

Also referred to as 鈥淏ab es Sultan Abd ul Hamid鈥�, the gate owes its existence to the Ottoman Sultan who acquiesced to the French Consul's plea for access to the Old City from the Notre Dame Hospice, completed in 1886. Additionally, it aimed to facilitate direct passage for Russian pilgrims residing at the Russian Compound to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter.

Throughout the 20th century, the New Gate endured multiple assaults from various parties. In 1929, an unprovoked Arab attack resulted in the loss of several Jewish lives, while in 1945, an Israeli paramilitary group attempted to demolish a section of the adjacent wall (though their efforts were thwarted by a malfunction in the explosive device). During the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, a Jewish demolition charge intended for the gate was triggered by a stray artillery shell, igniting the Arab wooden barricade nearby. Subsequently, the gate was sealed off by the Jordanian occupation administration until its reopening in 1967 by the Israeli Army following the Six-Day War.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Jerusalem. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: New Gate
Sight Location: Jerusalem, Israel (See walking tours in Jerusalem)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Jerusalem, Israel

Create Your Own Walk in Jerusalem

Creating your own self-guided walk in Jerusalem is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Mount Scopus Walking Tour

Dotted with many sightseeing places, Mount Scopus 鈥� translating as the 鈥淥bservation Mount鈥� from Greek 鈥� is a great place to get views over the whole Old City of Jerusalem on a nice day. The mount has been of major strategic importance since Roman times, with forces setting up camp here prior to laying the siege that culminated in the final Roman victory over Jerusalem around 70 AD.... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

Jerusalem City Gates Walking Tour

Historians believe that the Old City of Jerusalem probably came into being more than 4,500 years ago. The defensive wall around it features a number of gates built on the order of the Ottoman sultan Suleyman the Magnificent in the first half of the 16th century, each of which is an attraction in its own right. Until as recently as 1870, they were all closed from sunset to sunrise; nowadays, just... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles

Mount of Olives Walking Tour

Aside from affording great views over the Old City, the Mount of Olives is home to half a dozen major sites of the Christian faith along with the oldest Jewish burial ground in the world. Considered a holy spot by many, it is associated with numerous events in Jesus鈥� life including ascending to Heaven and teaching his disciples the Lord鈥檚 Prayer.

The following self-guided walking tour will... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles

Bethlehem Walking Tour

Perched on a hill at the edge of the Judaean Desert, Bethlehem has been known to the world, for more than two millennia, as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. The 鈥渟tar of Bethlehem鈥� as well as Christmas carols and hymns are firmly associated with this ancient city in the West Bank, Palestine, and thus, for some visitors, the bustle of a modern city may come as a surprise.

Undoubtedly, the... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.5 Km or 0.9 Miles

Muslim Quarter & Temple Mount Tour

The largest, most populous and perhaps most chaotic of all Jerusalem鈥檚 quarters, the Muslim Quarter is worth exploring for its unique atmosphere. Spending a day here may take you back to a simpler time, but be prepared for many sights and sounds as you pass many vendors, stores and restaurants on your way from site to site.

Some of the city鈥檚 most interesting city gates (Damascus and... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles

Jewish Quarter Walking Tour

Entirely rebuilt in the 1980s after having been largely destroyed during the 1948 War, the Jewish Quarter is quite distinct from the rest of the Old City. Good signposting, spacious passageways, art galleries and a somewhat less buzzing atmosphere make the area a relaxing place to spend some time.

With its rebuilt residential buildings, some almost consider this area the "New... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles

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