Jerusalem’s Southern Wall Gates

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The walls of Jerusalem and its gates have expanded and contracted through the centuries. The walls and gates you see today were, for the most part, built by Suliman the Magnificent, circa 1535 AD.

There are two gates on the southern wall.

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The Dung Gate

The Dung Gate from the Second Temple period (538 BC-70 AD) was on or near the southeastern corner of the Old City of Jerusalem, where the Hinnom and Kidron Valleys meet. The present-day Dung Gate, constructed by Suliman the Magnificent, is located near the southern wall, and is the main entrance to the Western Wall Plaza—the Kotel.

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The Zion Gate

The Zion gate is located on the south side of the Old city of Jerusalem and leads into the Armenian Quarter. The gate looks out towards Mount Zion.

During the 1948 War of Independence, the underground Palmach movement had gained control of the Jewish Quarter via the Zion Gate. However the gate remained under Jordanian rule until the Six Day War in 1967. You can still see the bullet holes and weapon damage around the arch of the gate today.

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