Last week, we brought you some remarkable photographs by Sister Christian Molidor, including a striking image of an elderly woman in Jerusalem making her way to the Damascus Gate to do her shopping. This week, Catholic News Service had more about that historic entrance, what one observer called “the most important entryway into Jerusalem”:
From its monumental Roman base to the top of its newly restored Ottoman crown and its stones scarred by bullet holes, the city’s most elaborate gate has been witness to the comings and goings of centuries of conquering soldiers and rulers and remains the main gate into the Old City.
In August, Israeli archaeologists completed restoration work on the Damascus Gate, the last stage in a project begun in 2007 to restore and conserve the city’s 2.5 miles of ancient walls, said conservation architect Avi Mashiah of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who directed the work.
The Damascus Gate was the last of the gates to be restored not only because of its architectural complexity, but also because of its role as the social and commercial hub for the Old City in East Jerusalem, he said.
Read more about the Damascus Gate here.