Mount of Olives

The view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. 

On the far left side is an entry way gate.

While today's Old City walls 
and gates are relatively old,

 they do not date back to the days of the Old Testament.

 The walls that are seen today were built by

 Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

 This project was begun in 1537.

A few gates have been added over the last few centuries,

 most of the gates seen today date to this time period.

The walls around Jerusalem reach close
 to three miles in circumference and rise
 to a height of 20 feet

 in some places and to almost 50 feet in others.

 The Old City walls contain 43 towers.

Walking through any of the 8 gates-

(the Eastern Gate is closed) provides entrance

 into the four distinct Quarters of the Old City.

They are the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter,

 the Christian Quarter and the Armenian Quarter.

This is the Eastern Gate,

or the Mercy Gate or the Golden Gate.

This gate is currently closed or blocked.

It is a common belief among the Jewish 

that this is the gate the Messiah

 will enter when He comes.

The Golden Dome of Temple Mount

 sits in the background.

(Thus this is a highly valued burial spot.)

The Kidron Valley runs along 

the base of the wall embankment.

The Mount of Olives is a 

 mountain ridge that extends 2 miles

 in length from south to north.

A walk down the western slope

 brings to life the "Palm Sunday"

 experience event of Christ.

The story is foretold in Zechariah 9:9.

One of the better maintained Garden Areas

 on the Mount of Olives is the Mormon Gardens.

Rosemary

Mount of Olives Overlook-

show the unique look of Jerusalem

 and the limestone coloring

 that permeates the landscape

 and the horizon.

on to the days in Jerusalem....