Walk about Zion . . .

April 25th, 2011--Jerusalem ramparts (the orange sticker was to give me access to both rampart walks)

"Walk about Zion and go around her; count her towers; consider her ramparts; go through her palaces; that you may tell it to the next generation." Psalm 48:12-13

One of the things I had had on my list to do ever since I arrived in Israel was to walk on the ramparts around Jerusalem's Old City. It is so mind boggling--these walls were built in the 16th century, they are older than the United States (or Australia (-: ), and yet, at 500 years old, they are not considered old enough to be a valued historical artifact in Israel. Despite that, the walls (along with the Old City itself) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1981.

The Old City is only approximately one kilometer squared; the wall around the perimeter runs close to 2 1/2 miles. The average height of this wall is 40 feet, and its average thickness is eight feet. Along these 2.5 miles are eight gates and thirty-four watchtowers.

Interestingly, the gates in the wall were actually in use (opened at sunrise and shut before sunset) up until 1887.

On Monday, April 25th, my plans kept falling through, so I began my trek around the ramparts of Jerusalem. Come for a walk with me and "consider her ramparts" for yourself!!

(Please forgive the font change--can't figure out why the computer is insisting on doing this!)

The ramparts walk, unfortunately, does not give a person a complete circle of the Old City (the Temple Mount in the southeastern corner interrupts the path). Both the northern and southern routes begin at Jaffa Gate.

Choosing to walk the northern path first, I climbed up to the top of Jaffa Gate and had an incredible view of the newly repaved road leading into the city from the gate.
Looking north along the city wall . . .I walked this road up to Jerusalem's New City hundreds of times. It never got old--walking along such an old wall and seeing different people each time.
The plaza just outside Jaffa Gate . . . crossing this plaza leads to the Mamilla pedestrian mall, Hebron road, and western Jerusalem.Looking across the plaza . . . the rectangle building on the horizon is the King David hotel.
Looking south across the plaza towards Talpiyot, Gilo, and Bethlehem!
The skyline of Jerusalem's Old City (looking northeast)
I walked along the western city wall, arriving at the northwestern corner. Below and outside is the plaza I walked through so many times after walking along the wall. The road taking off the the left is Jaffa Road.
Also taken from the northwestern corner of the city walls, this is looking east toward East Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives (some of the towers on the top of that ridge are visible).
Turning east, I walked along the northern city wall for quite a while. This is the main market street inside Damascus Gate. The golden Dome of the Rock is visible in the background.
From my vantage point above Damascus Gate, this is looking back west over the Old City. The steeple of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is plainly visible as well as the two gray domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. If you look closely, you can see a white dome left of the steeple--that is the Hurva synagogue in the Jewish Quarter.
A couple photos of the ramparts walk itself. While much of it was out in the sun, this was a pretty little shady section.
Looking ahead to the coming path--this ramparts walk was by no means flat; there were many stairs!
Getting closer to the northeastern corner of the wall, another look out across the Old City skyline.
Turning south to walk along the east wall, this was a spectacular view of the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives on the east. The golden onion-looking spires belong to the Russian Gethsemane/Church of Mary Magdalene (where we walked the previous Thursday evening). Below it is the traditional Garden of Gethsemane and Church of All Nations. Further south is the largest Jewish cemetery in the world.
The "northern ramparts" walk ended at Lions Gate on the east side of the Old City (almost directly opposite of Jaffa Gate in the west). This is looking south from Lions Gate inside the walls. The visible wall is actually the northern boundary of the Temple Mount. While the arched opening can serve as an exit for tourists, generally only Muslims are allowed access to the Temple Mount from this point.
At this point, I had to come down off the wall and walk back through the Old City to Jaffa Gate. I stopped at a couple places along the way and also to have a water/snack break at home! Then, it was on to the southern portion of the ramparts walk.

A glimpse of the path walking south along the western city wall. It's not very wide and views are limited at this point . . .
. . . but there are still some! This is the Artists' Colony just opposite Jerusalem's Old City. Also known as Hutzot Hayotzer, this avenue was established in 1969 in an area that had been a no man's land from 1948-1967. The artists here are quite prestigious, having exhibited their work in museums both in Israel and abroad.
Brownie points to those who recognized the Artists' Colony at the bottom of this photo! Behind and above it is the neighborhood of Yemin Moshe--one of the first neighborhoods established outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City (1891). The original houses were surrounded with a wall and a gate that was locked at night.
Continuing to walk south, this a glimpse at the outside of the western city wall.Having reached the southwestern corner and turned east, this picture looks back at one of the main roads running through the Armenian Quarter. I walked along this road many times as well--Christ Church is located on it a bit further north!Looking east at Zion Gate, one of the defensively-structured L-shaped gates in the Old City walls.
Looking east inside the city wall--this road runs from Zion Gate to the Jewish Quarter.
Looking east at the Arab village of Silwan
Another amazing view! This is looking at the outside of the southern city wall. At the far end is the Temple Mount (the grey dome of the Al Aqsa mosque is visible if you look carefully) and behind it, the Mount of Olives with the Jewish cemetery.
The southern ramparts walk goes as far as Dung Gate, and then I opted to walk back along the outside of the walls. This is another view of the western city wall (south of Jaffa Gate) from its foot.
The people in this picture help lend a sense of size and scale to the wall.
A bit further along this wall walk--looking north at more city walls. The minaret on the right is part of the Citadel of David and just behind that is Jaffa Gate and Christ Church.
These are only a few of the pictures from the ramparts walk (I know, I hear the sighs of relief!)--the day was incredibly clear and the views spectacular! I really enjoyed the walk and am glad I had the opportunity!