The Ramparts Walk: A Walk On The Old City Jerusalem Wall!
Since yesterday was the 17th of Tammuz marking the beginning of the 3 week period of mourning for the destruction of the Jewish Temple, I am going to share with you some very lovely adventures from our stay in Jerusalem this past Passover week. So stay tuned for that all week long!
One of my favorite activities was to do the Ramparts Walk, which I’ve always wanted to do, and am SO happy we finally had the chance to do it. I love walking and ancient architecture and views, and the Ramparts walk includes all three! The Ramparts are the fortified walkways on the 12 meter high stone wall surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem, and they are impressive indeed! The Ramparts are somewhat hidden from locals and tourists alike as you have to find the starting point, (it is on near the EXIT from the Tower of David Museum, looks for the signs) but the fee is very modest and this is something you should not miss. Do note, the steps can be very steep, so this is not for those with knee trouble, difficulty walking, or the very young.
The Ramparts walk actually consists of two sections, The North Side walk and the South Side Walk. We only had time for the shorter South Side Walk, in which one passes by the Tower of David and only crosses over one gate, the Zion Gate. The walk covers the Armenian Quarter and ends at the Jewish Quarter, before the Dung Gate. Descending before the Dung Gate it is just a short walk to the Western Wall (Kotel) and the surrounding sites. Okay, lets take that walk shall we?
Gorgeous right? That is the minaret known as the Tower of David, except it is only 500 years old, so sorry, but it was not around in King David’s time.
Wow…….
Looking through an opening in the wall towards the tower of David. 
A look (courtesy of my camera’s zoom) at the lovely (and now exclusive) neighborhood of Yemin Moshe, just outside the walls of the Old City. And yes, that is a windmill, we have a few in Israel!
A look towards the Mount of Olives Jewish cemetary.
A view of the Arab village, Kfar Shiloach, with the Dead Sea in the background (though you can’t see it.)
You can descend at Zion Gate, but don’t keep on going! All these folks are here because on a section of the wall there is “Snappling” meaning repelling with rock climbing ropes. I have a feeling this is mostly during busy tourist times, like the week of Passover. In any case, the walk by itself is plenty exciting, so make sure to include it in your next visit to Jerusalem!
