Golden Gate

Jerusalem, Israel

The Golden Gate, as it is called in Christian literature, is the only eastern gate of the Temple Mount and one of only two that used to offer access into the city from that side. It has been walled up since medieval times. The date of its construction is disputed and no archaeological work is allowed at the gatehouse, but opinions are shared between a late Byzantine and an early Umayyad date.

The Hebrew name of the Golden Gate is Sha'ar HaRachamim (שער הרחמים), Gate of Mercy. In Jewish sources the eastern gate of the Temple compound is called the Shushan Gate. If the Golden Gate does preserve the location of the Shushan Gate, which is only a presumption with no archaeological proof, this would make it the oldest of the current gates in Jerusalem's Old City Walls. According to Jewish tradition, the Shekhinah used to appear through the eastern Gate, and will appear again when the Anointed One (Messiah) comes and a new gate replaces the present one; that might be why Jews used to pray in medieval times for mercy at the former gate at this location, another possible reason being that in the Crusader period, when this habit was first documented, they were not allowed into the city where the Western Wall is located. Hence the name 'Gate of Mercy'.

In Christian apocryphal texts, the gate was the scene of the meeting between the parents of Mary after the Annunciation, so that the gate became the symbol of the virgin birth of Jesus and Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate became a standard subject in cycles depicting the Life of the Virgin. It is also said that Jesus passed through this gate on Palm Sunday, giving it also a Christian messianic importance beside the Jewish one.

In Arabic, it is known as Bab al-Dhahabi, also written Bab al-Zahabi, meaning 'Golden Gate'; another Arabic name is the Gate of Eternal Life.

The present gate was probably built in the 520s AD, as part of Justinian I's building program in Jerusalem, on top of the ruins of the earlier gate in the wall. An alternate theory holds that it was built in the later part of the 7th century by Byzantine artisans employed by the Umayyad khalifs.The Ottoman Turks transformed the walled-up gate into a watchtower. On the ground floor level a vaulted hall is divided by four columns into two aisles, which lead to the Door of Mercy, Bab al-Rahma, and the Door of Repentance, Bab al-Taubah; an upper floor room has the two roof domes as its ceiling.

Closed by the Muslims in 810, reopened in 1102 by the Crusaders, it was walled up by Saladin after regaining Jerusalem in 1187. Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilt it together with the city walls, but walled it up in 1541, and it stayed that way until today.

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Details

Founded: 520 CE
Category: Castles and fortifications in Israel

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

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User Reviews

Debby K (2 years ago)
This is not the location. I don’t know who keeps putting sites such as this, The Armenian Museum, and some fictitious “Space Museum” with a name in Arabic on the map right opposite the Museum of Islamic Art (which really is there and is worth a visit, especially the clock exhibit which is not Islamic, but its home is here). Google should fix this - I’ve tried to tell them, but they don’t fix it. Hopefully not too many people are misled.
ابن يوسف (2 years ago)
Musjid Baab Rahmah and Graveyard as well within thus gate
Wild Jerusalem (3 years ago)
During InfraRed inspection multiple indications of water and sewerage leaks were found in many areas of the Temple Mount compound including closed wells within the Golden Gate structure, which are the closest wells to the burials ☠️ The gate is surrounded by Bab A-Rahma cemetery which is operational source to ancient reservoir for MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT bacteria biohazard evolution ☣️ such as of cholera, e.coli etc - effectively polluting underground cisterns and wells, measured pollution at Siloh pool down the slope of the Temple Mount is x6-x7 times more than allowed for safe contact. ⚠️ When visiting the site, extra caution measures to avoid contamination are advised, including avoiding contact with people, animals, olives ? and food containing olive oil from the Temple Mount. Washing and disinfecting contacting parts of body, clothes and shoes is strongly recommended ⚠️
Bob Semple (4 years ago)
Just realized they meant the bridge in America and not the gate in Jerusalem. Darn.
Muneer Pasha (5 years ago)
Golden Gate to all
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