Walls of Jerusalem 🇮🇱

Surrounding the roughly one-square-kilometer Old City of Jerusalem, the Walls of Jerusalem are a striking historic fortification listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981. Built primarily between 1537 and 1541 under the orders of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, these surviving walls span 4,018 meters (2.497 miles) in length. Standing at an average height of 12 meters (39 feet) with a thickness of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet), the impressive stone structure features 34 watchtowers, seven main gates open to traffic, and two minor gates reopened by archaeologists.

When you explore these defense lines, you walk alongside centuries of history spanning the ancient Jebusite era, First and Second Temple periods, Roman rule, Crusader conflicts, and Ottoman governance. Highlights around the perimeter include the breach near Jaffa Gate—created in 1898 for German Emperor Wilhelm II's official entry—and the northwest corner's Qasr Jalud (Goliath's Tower), also known as Tancred's Tower from the 1099 First Crusader siege. Today, modern conservation projects stabilize and preserve the original Ottoman masonry alongside earlier excavated building phases.

Visiting these imposing historic ramparts offers you an unforgettable perspective on Jerusalem's deeply layered past.

What to see at Walls of Jerusalem

• Ottoman stone fortifications spanning 4,018 meters around the Old City
• Seven main traffic gates and 34 historic watchtowers along the perimeter
• The 1898 wall breach created near Jaffa Gate for German Emperor Wilhelm II
• Qasr Jalud (Goliath's Tower / Tancred's Tower) at the northwest corner
• Archaeological wall remains spanning from ancient Jebus to the Second Temple era

Visiting tips

Be sure to inspect the wall breach near Jaffa Gate, which was made in 1898 to allow German Emperor Wilhelm II to enter Jerusalem.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Walls of Jerusalem is easy to reach on Jerusalem’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Tower of David. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Jerusalem travel guide.