In the Arab tradition, the Zion Gate is called the gate of the Prophet David or the Jewish Gate. The name of the gate of the Prophet David is associated with the nearby grave of King David. The name Jewish Gate is due to its proximity to the Jewish quarter of the old city. The name Zion Gate comes from Mount Zion. We stand precisely on this mountain. In the 6th century B.C, Jewish refugees escaped from Nebuchadnezzar and came from the north of the country to settle on Zion mount. But Babylonian ruler has sieged Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple and exiled Jews to Babylon. Jewish people were dream of returning to Jerusalem and Zion. The word Zion became synonymous with Jerusalem and meant returning home. The social and national movement that developed in Europe in the second half of the nineteenth century, set itself the aim of rebuilding an actual Jewish state with its capital in Jerusalem, was titled Zionism. Now, we can understand the reason for this name.
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.
