(AP) Grant Slater - Israel has completed a two-month renovation and cleaning of the 16th-century Jaffa Gate, one of four main entrances to Jerusalem's Old City. Built by Jerusalem's Ottoman rulers in 1538, it is the most common entrance for tourists entering the walled Old City - home to key holy sites in Christianity, Islam and Judaism, as well as a popular outdoor marketplace. The Israel Antiquities Authority replaced broken stones and cleaned the facade with lye. Jaffa Gate was not used heavily until the end of the 19th century when part of the wall nearby was torn down to allow Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II to enter the Old City in his carriage.
2010-04-23 08:47:46Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive