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The Jewish Quarter makes up the southeast quadrant of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old City of Jerusalem. It’s home to a number of synagogues and museums.
Introduction to the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem
We visited the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem twice during our trip. Due to the Sukkot holiday, many attractions were closed or had limited hours. We weren’t able to see everything on our list.
The area was full of life, with restaurants packed and shops and squares quite busy. There were, however, a few empty streets we were able to wander through.
Hurva Square
Our first visit to the Jewish Quarter began with Hurva Square, which is surrounded by shops and fast food restaurants. The Hurva Synagogue is its centerpiece, and the Cardo runs along the west side.
Also on the square is the abandoned Sidna Omar Mosque. You can see the minaret standing next to the Hurva Synagogue.
Hurva Synagogue
The Hurva Synagogue is one of the most prominent buildings in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. In the early 18th century, a synagogue was built atop the ruins of an earlier 15th century synagogue. It was destroyed by Ottoman authorities in 1720. The plot stayed empty for over 130 years and became known as the Hurva (Ruin).
Between 1857 and 1864, another synagogue was built on the plot. Its official name was the Beis Yaakov Synagogue, but locals referred to it as the Hurva Synagogue. It was designed by Ottoman architect Esad Efendi, a court architect of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I. It was the main Ashkenazi synagogue in Jerusalem until it was destroyed by the Jordanians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
After Israel captured Jerusalem in the Six-Day War in 1967, there were several plans to rebuild the Hurva Synagogue. Instead, in 1977, a commemorative arch was erected. A plan to rebuild the synagogue true to its original 19th century style was finally approved in 2000. The current Hurva Synagogue was dedicated on March 15, 2010. It was designed by local architect Nahum Meltzer.
Visiting the Hurva Synagogue
The Hurva Synagogue is open to tourists Sunday through Thursday. Adult admission is ₪20 with an extra fee for guided tours (as of November 2023). I highly recommend the guided tour, which takes about 45 minutes.
Guided Tour of the Hurva Synagogue
We met our guide in the lobby and waited for the rest of the group to arrive, then walked up to the women’s gallery to begin the tour. The guide talked about the history of the Hurva Synagogue and answered questions.
Next, our guide took us up to the observation deck on the dome. We were able to stand on a walkway lining the inside of the dome and look down on the synagogue.
Of special interest was the Torah ark, which is supposedly the tallest in the world. The guide also pointed out the difference in the materials used to build the walls. The architect used foundations and walls of the ruined synagogue in the new construction so visitors wouldn’t forget what happened to the original Hurva Synagogue.
We also learned that in 2005, an underground arms cache was discovered under the ark. Mortars and grenades were hidden there in 1938 by the Irgun. Israeli soldiers didn’t know about the cache during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and they remained hidden until construction of the new synagogue.
We noticed murals on the four corners supporting the dome. The guide explained that they represent the Four Holy Cities of Judaism, which are Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, and Tiberias.
Observation Deck of the Hurva Synagogue
Walking outside on the veranda, there’s a pair of spiral staircases up to an observation deck around the dome. The views are spectacular and interpretive panels let us know what to look out for.
We were able to spot many landmarks from the dome. To the east, we could see the Mount of Olives as well as the buildings on the Temple Mount.
To the north, we could see other buildings in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem as well as the bell towers of churches in the Christian Quarter. The largest two domes belonged to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Directly below, we watched people moving around Hurva Square. We also got a good look at the minaret of the abandoned Sidna Omar Mosque, which is right next to the synagogue.
Archaeological Area
To finish the tour, we went down to the basement of the Hurva Synagogue where there’s an archaeological area. Several ruins were discovered in the area in the 1970s. The first section contains a private ritual bath from an upper class home dating back to the Second Temple period. To the right is a Mamluk industrial installation from the 14th century.
Further along is a paved Byzantine street dating back to the 6th century. It was built over a Second Temple ritual bath and led to the Cardo.
A stairway leading down then immediately back up took us to a Byzantine arch at the intersection of the paved street and the Cardo.
Jewish Quarter Defender’s Memorial
On the north side of the Hurva Synagogue is the Jewish Quarter Defender’s Memorial. It commemorates the 39 soldiers and 30 Jewish Quarter residents who died in the Battle for Jerusalem during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The memorial contains several photos as well as a short video.
Cardo
The Cardo was the main north-south road in ancient Jerusalem. You can find it along the west side of Hurva Square. The Cardo was a colonnaded road originally 22.5 meters wide. It ran the entire length of the Old City, with columns placed 5.77 meters apart. There was an open-air section in the middle allowing traffic of carriages and animals. That section was flanked by covered pedestrian walkways.
The northern section of the road was built by Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 130s and connected the Damascus Gate to a spot near today’s David Street, running past the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The southern section was built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the 6th century, extending the road to the Zion Gate.
Byzantine Cardo
The remains of about 180 meters of the Byzantine Cardo were discovered in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem in 1969. They’re visible from the west side of Hurva Square, where there’s an open-air section at the southern end of the road. A stairway leads down to a row of columns topped with Corinthian capitals.
A gate on the north side of the open area leads to a covered section containing another row of columns, some broken. There’s also an image depicting what the Cardo would have looked like during ancient times.
Crusader Market
From there, the Cardo is covered and runs north to David Street. The covered section is a Crusader market built atop part of the Byzantine section of the street in the 12th century. The vaulted ceilings of the market later became cellars for the buildings above. The market was restored after the excavations were complete.
Shops, mostly art galleries, line both sides of the Crusader market. There’s also an occasional section displaying ruins.
Every once in a while, there are shafts with openings you can look down into. They reveal even more ancient blocks further beneath the ground.
Four Sephardi Synagogues
A short walk south of Hurva Square are the Four Sephardi Synagogues, consisting of four adjoining synagogues built at different periods of time. They include the Yochanan ben Zakai Synagogue (early 17th century), Istanbuli Synagogue (1764), Eliyahu Ha’navi Synagogue (16th century), and the Emtsai Synagogue (18th century). The synagogues were closed to visitors when we walked by. Adult admission is ₪10 (as of November 2023) and they’re open daily except Saturdays.
Burnt House
Down an alley to the east of Hurva Square is the Burnt House. It’s an excavated house six meters below the current street level that dates back to the Second Temple period. The house was destroyed in 70 AD when the Romans set fire to Jerusalem. It’s open daily except Saturdays and adult admission is ₪20 (as of November 2023).
The house, which was excavated between 1969 and 1982, belonged to the priestly Kathros family. It included a small courtyard, four rooms, a kitchen, and mikveh. Findings from the house, such as pottery, coins, and jewelry, are on display. Also found was the forearm of a woman aged around 25 as well as a spear that may have belonged to a Jewish fighter living there.
25 minute screenings of a dramatic recreation of the destruction of the Second Temple take place about every 40 minutes. They include a multimedia guide available in several languages. The acting is bad and the movie is cheesy and not based on fact, so you’re probably better off skipping the show.
Crusader Market
The Burnt House sits opposite a covered Crusader Market. The vaulted ceilings of the market later became cellars for the buildings above. The market was restored after the Six-Day War in 1967.
Herodian Quarter
Walking down towards the Western Wall, we came to the Wohl Archaeological Museum. It displays the remnants of upper-class houses in the Herodian Quarter. Like the Burnt House, these ruins were revealed after 1967. Adult admission is ₪20 (as of November 2022) and it’s open Sunday through Thursday. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to visit.
Jerusalem Archaeological Park
Just south of Western Wall Plaza is the Jerusalem Archaeological Park and Davidson Center. The Jerusalem Archaeological Park is an open-air archaeological site of what was once one of Jerusalem’s most important streets. The site was excavated in the 1970s. Adult admission is ₪30 (as of November 2023) and it’s open daily except Saturdays.
The Davidson Center is a museum within the archaeological park that includes a virtual reconstruction model of the Herodian Temple and findings from the site. Artifacts are from the First Temple, Second Temple, Byzantine, Crusader, and Ottoman periods, among others. We were unable to visit on this trip.
Western Wall
The Western Wall is the holiest places where Jews are permitted to pray. Also known as the Wailing Wall, it makes up the western part of the Temple Mount, which is under the jurisdiction of Muslims through Status Quo. It formed part of the expansion project of the Second Temple begun by Herod the Great in 19 BC.
Visitors the Western Wall must dress appropriately. No photos are allowed on Saturdays or Jewish holidays. The wall is open 24 hours a day.
Western Wall Plaza
After passing through a security check, we entered Western Wall Plaza. This open area was controversially created in 1967, just 48 hours after Israel took Jerusalem in the Six-Day War.
A small neighborhood known as the Moroccan Quarter stood just four meters (13 feet) from the Wall. The entire neighborhood was bulldozed, leaving 106 Arab families totaling 650 people without a home. The area for Jewish prayer was enlarged from just 120 square meters (1,300 square feet) to 2,400 square meters (26,000 square feet).
Sections of the Western Wall
There are separate sections for prayer at the Wall. The men’s section is to the left and the much smaller women’s section is to the right. Kippahs are provided to men who don’t have one.
Western Wall Tunnels
To get a more in-depth look at the Wall, take a guided tour through the Western Wall Tunnels. A 488 meter passage through the Wall gives insight on the construction of the Temple. It’s also the closest anyone can get to the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount. Tours last about 75 minutes long and must be booked well in advance. We had planned to do a tour but our schedule was packed too tightly. Adult tickets cost ₪38 (as of May 2024).
Temple Mount Entrance
Visitors will notice a wooden elevated walkway on the right side of the Western Wall. This is the visitor entrance leading up to the Temple Mount. There are long queues and security checks, and visitor hours are limited for non-Muslims. We didn’t have a chance to visit, but we were told to go as early in the day as possible.
