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The Armenian Quarter is the smallest quarter of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old City of Jerusalem. It makes up the southwest quadrant of the Old City.
The Armenian Quarter, which can be accessed via the Jaffa Gate or Zion Gate, is the quietest quarter in the Old City. It also has the fewest attractions out of all four quarters.
History
Armenians have lived in Jerusalem since the 4th century, making it the oldest Armenian diaspora community in the world. The population of ethnic Armenians in the area has been declining since the middle of the 20th century. Also, the Jewish Quarter annexed a significant chunk of the eastern section of the Armenian Quarter.
The Armenian, Greek Orthodox, and Latin Patriarchs of Jerusalem as well as the government of Armenia consider the Armenian Quarter to be part of the Christian Quarter. The political division exists in the eyes of Israel because of the Armenian’s belief in miaphysitism as well as their language and culture. Also, unlike the majority of Christians in the city, they aren’t Palestinian or Arab.
Armenian Culture
Although there’s not as much to see as compared to the other quarters, there’s a great opportunity to experience Armenian culture. Along Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road, there are a couple art centers as well as Armenian restaurants.
We visited Armenian Tavern for lunch one day and admired some of the ceramics and pottery in two shops. From 1915 onward, Armenians escaping the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire brought a distinct style of ceramic and pottery with them from Anatolia (Turkey).
Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem
The compound of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem takes up a huge section of the Armenian Quarter. It was founded in 638, when the Armenian Apostolic Church appointed its first bishop of Jerusalem.
In addition to housing the clergy, the complex also contains the private homes of many Armenian lay people. Visitors can see the walls of the complex along Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate Road or get a better view from the southern route of the Ramparts Walk.
There are three churches inside the complex. The largest and most important is the Cathedral of St. James, which was built in the 12th century. It’s only open to the public for religious services. Unfortunately, a visit to the cathedral didn’t fit into our schedule during our trip.
The Church of the Holy Archangels, also known as Deir Al-Zeitoun, sits on the southeastern corner of the complex. According to Christian tradition, it was built on the location of the house of High Priest Annas. It’s best seen from the Ramparts Walk.
Finally, the Church of St. Toros sits next to the Cathedral of St. James. Over 4,000 ancient manuscripts are kept there.
In addition to the churches, there’s the Theological Seminary of the Patriarchate; the Calouste Gulbenkian Library, which contains over 100,000 volumes; the Edward and Helen Mardigian Museum of Armenian Art and Culture; and the Sts. Tarkmanchatz School, a private school teaching Armenian, Hebrew, English, and Arabic.
St. Mark’s Church
Down an alley in the northeast corner of the area is St. Mark’s Church. This Syriac Orthodox church and monastery was built on the site of the house of Mary, the mother of St. Mark the Evangelist.
According to Syriac tradition, it was also the location of the Last Supper. Most Christians believe the Last Supper took place at the Cenacle on Mount Zion. Unfortunately, the church was closed for renovation when we walked by.
Tower of David
Opposite the Jaffa Gate is the Tower of David, which makes up the old Jerusalem Citadel. The current citadel dates back to the Mamluk and Ottoman eras. It was built on the site of older fortifications by the Hasmoneans, Herod the Great, Byzantines, and Ayubbids. The Byzantines named the tower in the 5th century, believing it was the site of King David’s palace.
Today, the Tower of David Museum occupies several chambers inside the original citadel. It opened in April 1989 and chronicles 4,000 years of history in Jerusalem. Adult admission is ₪40 for the museum only, ₪67 for the night experience, and ₪82 for both the museum and night experience (as of May 2023). We plan to visit on our next trip.
Christ Church
A short walk inside the Jaffa Gate is Christ Church. This Anglican church was consecrated on January 21, 1849, and is the oldest Protestant church in the Middle East. Three British architects worked on the church. They were William Curry Hillier, who died in 1840 of typhus; James Wood Johns, who was dismissed in 1843; and Matthew Habershon (1789-1852).
Christ Church was the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem until the opening of St. George’s Cathedral in 1899. The compound was also the site of the British Consulate until World War I. Today, a guest house and café serves visitors. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to visit.
Zion Gate
Finally, the Zion Gate sits on the south side of the Armenian Quarter. It’s one of seven open gates on the city walls of Jerusalem, and leads to Mount Zion.
The Zion Gate was built in July 1540 by Ottoman Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent. In May 1948, Israeli forces broke into the Old City through the gate, but they failed from keeping the Jordanian army from taking the Jewish Quarter. It stayed blocked for 19 years, until Israel took the Old City during the Six-Day War in 1967.
