Zion Gate
Jerusalem
The Zion Gate of Jerusalem
Photo: Djstatic33, in the public domain
The Zion Gate, or in Hebrew, Shaar Zion, is one of the gates built into the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was built for Suleiman the Magnificent in 1540. Zion Gate is located in the south of the Old City and facing towards Mount Zion and Hebron. It leads to the Armenian and Jewish Quarters of the Old City. Zion Gate is also known as David's Gate, in Arabic, Bab el-Daoud and in Hebrew, Shaar David, because Mount Zion is believed by some to be the burial place of King David.
In 1948, during the Israeli War of Independence, the battle for control of the Jewish Quarter at the entrance of the Zion gate left stones surrounding the gate pockmarked by weapons fire and riddled with bullet holes which can still be seen today. The Star of David on the pavement in front of the gate was designed by architect Shlomo Aronson.
Both pedestrians and vehicles presently use the gate, though navigation is made awkward by a very narrow L-shaped turn inside the gate.
