The Jaffa Gate is a stone portal within the historic walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is one of the eight main gates of Jerusalem's old town. The name of the entrance comes from the road that led to the ancient seaport of Jaffa. The creation of a gate with a height of 6 meters dates back to 1588. The entrance, most often used by local residents, also remains a popular tourist attraction.
The stone portal was opened as part of the reconstruction of the walls of the Old Town by Suleyman the Magnificent. Just behind the gate, there are two tombs that may belong to two Ottoman notables, or architects whom the sultan commissioned to build walls. In 1908, a clock tower was built next to the entrance, which was destroyed by the British 10 years later. In 1917, British General Edmund Allendby passed through the Jaffa Gate, who out of respect for the holy city, covered the distance on foot.
Near the Jaffa Gate there are buildings such as the Citadel of David, the Christian Information Center in Jerusalem and the post office. In 2000, John Paul II passed through the gate, who made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Vehicles also often pass through the portal and carry religious Jews to the Western Wall.
Attractions inside
