The Jaffa Gate is the main western entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem, and for most visitors, it is the first gate they pass through. The gate faces west toward the port city of Jaffa (modern Jaffa), 60 kilometers away on the Mediterranean coast, and for centuries it was the starting point of the road that connected Jerusalem to the sea and the wider world.
The L-Shaped Entrance
Like most gates in the Ottoman walls, the Jaffa Gate was designed with a right-angle turn inside, forcing anyone entering to slow down and turn, making it impossible for attackers to charge straight through. The gate was built by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538 as part of his reconstruction of the city walls. Two Arabic inscriptions above the gate honor Suleiman and invoke divine protection.
Breach
In 1898, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany visited Jerusalem, and the Ottoman authorities breached the wall beside the Jaffa Gate to allow his carriage to enter without passing through the narrow L-shaped gate. The breach was never repaired, and today most visitors walk through the wide opening beside the gate rather than through the original Ottoman archway. The road that passes through the breach leads directly to the Christian Quarter and the Armenian Quarter.
Tower of David
Immediately inside the Jaffa Gate stands the Tower of David (the Jerusalem Citadel), a fortress that has been rebuilt by virtually every ruler of Jerusalem from Herod the Great to the Ottomans. The citadel houses the Tower of David Museum, which tells the story of Jerusalem through archaeological remains and multimedia exhibits. The Herodian base of the tower, with its massive stone blocks, is visible at ground level, and the view from the top of the minaret (which has nothing to do with David and was added by the Ottomans) is one of the best in the city.
Legend of Suleiman
A popular legend says that Suleiman the Magnificent built the walls of Jerusalem because he had a dream in which lions threatened to devour him unless he protected the holy city. The two architects who built the walls are said to be buried in graves beside the Jaffa Gate, either honored for their work or executed to prevent them from building walls as fine for anyone else, depending on which version of the legend you prefer.
Visit with Hoshen Tours
The Jaffa Gate is where most Old City tours begin. Hoshen Tours starts here to orient visitors to the geography of the Old City before entering the maze of streets beyond.