A Closer Look: The New Gate in Jerusalem's Walls

Nir Topper
1 day ago
2 min read

Jerusalem's walls, as we know them today, were built by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent between 1537 and 1541. The wall encircles the Old City for approximately 4 kilometers (about 2.5 miles), reaching a height of 15 meters at its peak. Suleiman constructed six new gates and briefly reopened the ancient Gate of Mercy (the Golden Gate), which was resealed shortly thereafter. In 1887, the New Gate was breached, and since then, the walls have featured eight gates, seven of which are open today.

Unlike the other seven gates, the "New Gate" is a later addition, opened in the late 1880s (historical sources vary between 1887 and 1889). Its construction was the result of pressure from European powers—led by France—on the declining Ottoman Empire. The objective was to facilitate access for Christian pilgrims and residents moving between the Christian Quarter and the religious and European institutions that were then being established outside the walls. Located at the highest point of the northwestern wall (790 meters above sea level), it became the shortest transit route between the Old City and West Jerusalem.

The story of the gate is deeply interwoven with the political drama of 20th-century Jerusalem. During the 1948 War of Independence, the area became a fierce battlefield, and the gate was eventually sealed by the Jordanians. For 19 years, between 1948 and 1967, the gate remained blocked as part of the "City Line" (the armistice line) that divided Jerusalem between Israel and Jordan. Military outposts overlooked the gate from both sides, leaving it as a dead-end alley. Only after the Old City was captured by the IDF during the Six-Day War were the barriers and the iron gate removed, and the gate was reopened to the public.

Today, the gate is surrounded by the historical anchor institutions of the Christian Quarter: the San Salvador Monastery, which serves as the headquarters for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land; the Collège des Frères (De La Salle College); and the Latin Patriarchate complex. The New Gate is located very close to IDF Square (Kikar Tzahal) and, like the other open gates, is accessible 24/7. It is a short walk from Safra Square and can also be reached via the Ramparts Walk.

Image 1 - "The New Gate". Source: https://www.itraveljerusalem.com/he/attraction/the-new-gate