Jerusalem Walls National Park

Jerusalem Walls National Park protects, preserves and provides public access to the fortifications and adjacent archaeological areas that surround the Old City of Jerusalem. The park focuses on the city’s historic walls and the open-air remains immediately outside them.

The park offers elevated viewpoints along the walls that allow sweeping views across the Old City quarters and toward surrounding hills and valleys. These viewing routes and promenades are the primary attractions for sightlines and photography rather than interior museum displays.

The present city walls were rebuilt under Ottoman rule in the 16th century by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and the areas immediately outside the walls contain excavated remains from Roman, Byzantine and medieval periods. Over time the site has been the focus of archaeological excavation, conservation and visitor-access works to expose and interpret the multiple occupation layers.

The park sits directly around the Old City of Jerusalem in the Jerusalem District, immediately adjacent to the historic gates and inner urban fabric of central Jerusalem. It is within the municipal limits of Jerusalem and lies on the city’s core ridge and surrounding slopes.

• Visitor access: Access points and opening hours for the ramparts walk and some archaeological sites are limited and ticketed; check current visitor information before planning a visit.
• Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon light gives the clearest panoramic views and cooler temperatures for walking the ramparts.

What to See #

• Ramparts Walk (Old City walls): A raised walkway and viewing route that follows significant stretches of the Old City walls, giving panoramic views across the four quarters and key landmarks such as the Dome of the Rock and the Mount of Olives.
• Archaeological sites along the walls: Clusters of excavated remains and open archaeological areas adjacent to the walls showing layers from Roman, Byzantine, Crusader and later periods; several accessible trenches and exposed foundations lie along the park perimeter.