The Gate of Mercy

Abstract

The city of Jerusalem is a walled city. Therefore, in order to enter and leave it, gates are necessary. The so-called "old city" today of Jerusalem" corresponds to the part of the city that has remained within the walls. But these present walls are not ancient if we consider the millennial history of Jerusalem - but from the 16th century, when it was dominated by the Ottoman Empire. It was Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) who rebuilt the walls, in several places on the remains of the old ones. This reconstruction lasted from 1535 to 1538. The gates of the walled city also belong to this period. And also several of them are located in the places of their respective ancient gates - even in some cases preserving the old name.