Jerusalem Gates

Photo Comments

The Jerusalem portion of the Madaba Map with the city gates and streets labeled.

In the upper left of the image the red, two–line inscription reads “The Holy City of Jerusalem.”  Below it is the Damascus Gate, and then in a clock–wise direction the Lion’s Gate, the Dung Gate, the Zion Gate, and on the west side of the city the Jaffa Gate .  By the Jaffa Gate note the white and black wall that outlines the western city wall, and a few of the towers represented in it.

From the Damascus Gate, note the street—in yellow and white—that runs south to the Zion Gate.  This was the main street of Jerusalem called the Cardo.  Note how the visual representation of the street is pealed apart so that columns on both sides of the street are visible!  Portions of this street were uncovered in the present day Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem by Nahum Avigad, and are visible today.

Just to the south of the Damascus gate is a column, from which distances were measured from Jerusalem—another name for the Damascus Gate is still (in Arabic) “Bab el–Amud” = “the Gate of the Column”—even though the column has long since disappeared.

Also from the Damascus Gate note the road that heads southeast.  This road runs in the area of the central valley and in Arabic is called el–Wad street (wad/wadi meaning “valley”).

For a description of this church and a view of its exterior Click Here .

For an unmarked map Click Here .

Image courtesy of Mark Connally.