Zion Gate (Bab an-Nawi Dawud)
Old City, Jerusalem, ISR
When Ottoman Turkish Sultan Suleiman was rebuilding the Old City walls of Jerusalem during the sixteenth century, the architects neglected to consider a Franciscan monastery just outside the walls. What is today the Zion Gate (Bab an-Nawi Dawud) was punched through the wall to provide the monastery access to the Old City. During the 1948 War of Independence the gate was the site of fierce fighting between Jordanians and Palmach forces; the facade still bears bullet holes.
One of eight gates in the wall, Zion Gate is situated on the south side of the city, looking out toward Mount Zion. For modern day visitors, the gate serves as one of the primary entrances into the Jewish and Armenian quarters.
The Zion Gate is the closest gate to the Western Wall. It’s also located nearby the Tomb of David and Upper Room, so consider visiting them at the same time.
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