Contemplate the stones before you. This is Bab a-Zahara. It’s also known as Herod’s Gate. This gate stands as a testament to Jerusalem’s complex history.
Bab a-Zahara is one of the seven open gates of the Old City. It connects the Muslim Quarter to the Bab a-Zahara neighborhood. The neighborhood lies just outside the walls. You will find this gate a short distance east of the Damascus Gate.
Did you know Bab a-Zahara has different names? Christians call it Herod’s Gate. The name dates back to the 16th or 17th century. Some believed a nearby house was Herod Antipas’s palace. Muslims call it Bab az-Zahra. The adjacent Arab neighborhood shares this name. The Hebrew name is Sha’ar HaPrakhim. That translates to Flowers Gate.
The name Bab az-Zahra has an interesting origin. Az-Zahra comes from “as-Sahira”. This refers to a hill and cemetery. Pilgrims who journeyed to Mecca were buried here. Some say “az-Zahra” is a corruption of “as-Sahira.” Others believe “Zahra” resembles the Arabic word for flower. This is why it is sometimes known as the Flowers Gate.
This gate is one of Jerusalem’s newest. Suleiman the Magnificent built the city walls in the 1530s. Originally, a small wicket gate stood in the tower’s eastern wall. It was rarely used. In 1875, the Ottomans opened a larger gate in the northern wall. This faced Sultan Suleiman Street. It provided easier access to new neighborhoods. The original gate was then closed.
The different names of Bab a-Zahara show different periods of history. Pilgrims named it Herod’s Gate. They mistakenly thought it led to Herod’s palace. What they thought was Herod’s palace was a Mamluk-era house. Arabs call it Bab a-Zahara or Gate of Flowers. Some say the name comes from rose-like engravings. Others say flower merchants once sold their wares here.
Archaeological digs near Bab a-Zahara have uncovered much. They found structures from the Second Temple period. There was also a complete segment of the Byzantine-Roman wall. Remnants of a massive fortification were also unearthed. These are from the early Muslim period and the Middle Ages. These finds highlight the importance of Jerusalem’s northern wall.
Take a moment to imagine the Crusader army. Historical accounts say they entered the city through a breach. This was located slightly east of today’s Bab a-Zahara in 1099.
Bab a-Zahara continues to be a vital part of Jerusalem. It is a place where history, culture and faith converge. This gate stands as a powerful reminder. It reminds us of the layers of history within these ancient walls.