Damascus Gate

The Damascus Gate (Hebrew שער שכם - Sha'ar Shechem, German Shechem Gate or Nablus Gate; باب العمود bab al - amud, DMG Babu ʾ l - ʿ Amud, Säulentor ') is the largest - and in the eyes of many visitors also beautiful - Gate of the walled Old City of Jerusalem. It lies on the north side of the old town and leads in both the Muslim as well as in the Christian Quarter (the others are the Jewish Quarter and the Armenian ).

The name is derived as the Jaffa Gate of the former Jerusalem joined with Damascus road that leaves the old town here. For the Hebrew name Sha'ar Shechem, the same applies. The Arabic term Säulentor goes back to a Roman victory column, which was erected in the time of Emperor Hadrian. Even at that time was located on the site of the Damascus gate, a gate in the northern city walls of Jerusalem, which was then Aelia Capitolina said. The Victory Column is also seen on the map of Madaba from the 6th century.

The Damascus Gate was built as part of the extensive renovation of the Jerusalem city wall under Suleiman the Magnificent in the years 1535-1538.

Today, the Damascus Gate between West and East Jerusalem stands and forms as the main pedestrian gate eye of a needle between the Old Town and New Town. Especially during the business as well as the Jewish and Muslim prayer times the gate is busy. Nowhere else do the various groups in Israeli and Palestinian societies as well as the traditionally dressed representatives of the local Christian churches in the Old Town meet as closely and as diverse as the Damascus Gate. Only the modern, secular Israeli population is almost entirely absent here.

Already in the gatehouse itself there are small shops and hawkers selling their wares. From here it is only a short walk to Via Dolorosa.

The Crusaders called the gate as " St. Stephen ", because according to their beliefs, the first Christian martyr was stoned in front of this gate. Today, however, bears the lion gate these (additional) name.