Unlike its more bustling neighbours to the north, the Jewish Quarter is decidedly residential, with scrubbed stone, proper trash collection and the occasional children's playground. This is due largely to the fact that the area was flattened during the fighting in 1948 and most of the quarter had to be rebuilt from scratch.

While few historic monuments above ground are in evidence, there are a number of interesting archaeological finds below street level, some of which date back to the time of the First Temple (construction of the First Temple began in 950 BC). One of the better exhibits is the recently renovated Burnt House. The Jewish Quarter is the only part of the Old City that is fully equipped to accommodate wheelchair users. A designated route for wheelchair users begins at the car park south of Hurva Sq. The first settlement on the site of Jerusalem was on the Ophel Ridge, immediately to the southeast of the Jewish Quarter.