The Hurva Synagogue was known as "The Ruin," or Hurva. This lamentable name tied to the fate of the synagogue. The synagogue, founded in the early 18th century on the ruins of a 15th-century, was destroyed a few years later in 1720 by Ottoman authorities. One hundred forty years then, in 1864, the new community rebuilt the synagogue, and although it was renamed, it retained its name as the Hurva. Soon the temple was destroyed again—this time by the Arab Legion during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. After the Six-day war of 1967, municipal authorities erected a commemorative arch in 1977, which become a famous landmark of the Jewish Quarter. Only on March 15, 2010, the synagogue reconstructed in its 19th-century style was dedicated and reopened for prayer.
The tour begins in the car park near the Zion gate. This parking lot is the most convenient for wheelchairs and most close to the old city. The route runs along the flat part of the city completely avoiding steps and steep climbs or descents. The path to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher passes through the Jewish and Christian quarters, the ancient Cardo street and the markets of the Christian part of the city.
Don't be afraid to get lost in new places!
