Last updated on .
The Christian Quarter makes up the northwest quadrant of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old City of Jerusalem. It contains the most important Christian pilgrimage site in the world along with several other important historic sites and churches.
This entry covers miscellaneous sites in the Christian Quarter. It doesn’t include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or any Greek Orthodox churches and monasteries, the Jaffa Gate, the Muristan complex, or anything along the Via Dolorosa.
The main tourist entrance to the Christian Quarter is the Jaffa Gate. From there, it’s easy to access all of the attractions and churches in the area. The Armenian Quarter is immediately to the south of the gate.
Shopping
The Christian Quarter is full of shops selling souvenirs and religious items. The best streets for shopping are David Street, Christian Quarter Road, and around the Muristan complex.
Roman Paving Stones
Along Christian Quarter Road, there’s a section of Roman paving stones dating back to the 3rd and 4th century. A plaque on the road indicates they were discovered during renovations in 1977.
Arch of the Virgin Mary
To the west of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre along Christian Quarter Road is the Arch of the Virgin Mary. This arch, which is now closed, once marked the western entrance to the church during the Crusader period.
Mosque of Omar
Just south of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the Mosque of Omar. The current mosque was built by Al-Afdal ibn Salah ad-Din (1169-1229), one of the 17 sons of Saladin, in 1193. It’s closed to non-Muslims.
The first mosque was built east of the church, on the site Caliph Omar (579-644) prayed after the Siege of Jerusalem in 637. When Patriarch Sophronius (560-638) surrendered to Omar, he invited the Caliph to pray inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Omar didn’t want to set a precedent and endanger the church’s status as a Christian site, so he prayed on the steps to the east of the church.
The minaret is 15 meters (49 feet) high and was built before 1465 by the Mamluks. The mosque was renovated in the middle of the 19th century by Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I.
Al-Khanqah al-Salahiyya Mosque
North of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the al-Khanqah al-Salahiyya Mosque. It’s situated on the former palace of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. The building was converted to a mosque shortly after the conquest of Jerusalem by Saladin in 1187. The minaret was built in 1417. The mosque is closed to non-Muslims.
Church of the Redeemer
East of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and next to the Muristan complex is the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. It was built between 1893 and 1898 by German architect Paul Ferdinand Groth (1859-1955) following the designs of fellow German architect Friedrich Adler (1827-1908). The land was donated by Kaiser Wilhelm I. Kaiser Wilhelm II made a trip to Jerusalem to personally dedicate the church.
The Church of the Redeemer, which is the second Protestant church in Jerusalem, sits on the former site of the Church of Santa Maria Latina. Visitors can climb the bell tower and there’s an archaeological site underneath. The church was closed when we tried to visit.
Butcher’s Market
The Butcher’s Market (Souk Al Lakhamin in Arabic or Shuk ha-Katsavim in Hebrew) is the road between Muristan and the Cardo. In addition to the several butchers there are also fruit and vegetable shops. This street is very empty compared to streets with tourist shops and it’s a great place to witness local life.
