Damascus Gate
Not good for: people who don't like noise
- Address
- Old City Muslim Quarter
Lonely Planet review for Damascus Gate
The scene in front of the Damascus Gate is a microcosm of the Palestinian world - vendors heave goods in and out of the Old City, families picnic on the steps and Israeli soldiers tap their truncheons. You'll also spot elderly women from the villages trying to sell herbs and produce; most of them wear intricately embroidered dresses that are a part of their dowry and identity.
The gate itself dates in its present form from the time of Süleyman the Magnificent (who oversaw the gate's construction between 1537 and 1542), although there had been a gate here long before the arrival of the Turks. This was the main entrance to the city as early as the time of Agrippas, who ruled in the 1st century BC. The gate was considerably enlarged during the reign of the Roman emperor Hadrian. A column erected by Hadrian once stood in the square, leading to the alternative name for the gate: Bab al-Amud (Gate of the Column).
Traveller reviews for Damascus Gate (1)
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Feast for the sense as you enter the old city
buffalohiking recommends this,
Walking down the steps into the Damascus Gate area (at the right time of day) is a feast for the senses. The sights of fruit, bread, and other delightful things combined with the noise of people and salesmen and the smells is a wonderful entrance into the old city.
Not good for: people who don't like noise
