Case Study in Jerusalem: Damascus Gate and adjacent areas in the Old City, East and West Jerusalem Wendy Pullan, University of Cambridge Revised March 2018 Executive Summary Damascus Gate is the largest gate in the northern wall of Jerusalem’s Old City. It is Roman in origin, with some archaeological remains; the present structure was rebuilt in the sixteenth century by Suleiman the Magnificent and is a good example of Ottoman military architecture. Today the gate occupies an important but liminal position in the city: it marks the transition between the historic and modern city, in and outside of the walled city. When Jerusalem was a divided city between 1948 and 1967, the international border between Israeli West Jerusalem and Jordanian East Jerusalem passed just to the west of the gate. Since then Damascus Gate has marked the boundary area between Israeli and Palestinian cities. The structure of the limestone gate is in reasonably good condition; however the area around it, both inside and outside the wall, is heavily contested and lacks urban continuity. Various Israeli interventions include: renovations inside the Old City, an amphitheatre just outside the gate, a park, a major inner city motor way and a transportation hub that includes a bus station and a light railway station. Large stretches of semi-derelict land make it unfit for pedestrian activity and long periods of conflict have rendered much of the surrounding area unattractive. The Palestinian presence is evident in markets and commercial life inside and outside of the gate, but this is also subject to the political climate. The Israeli presence is mostly military; three new, permanent checkpoints have recently been installed. Both peoples traverse the area on their way to prayers in the Old City. Both peoples traverse the area on their way to prayers in the Old City. Attempts to develop the area for tourists have been sporadic despite the significance of the gate. Damascus Gate is not a restored heritage site in a post trauma phase; in fact, like the whole city of Jerusalem, it remains part of a long conflict for which there is no foreseeable end. The gate is an important landmark for both Palestinians and Israelis, and is a significant example of a secular site in this city of three major monotheistic religions. The area is defined by its social, political and economic conditions as well as the landmark qualities of the gate itself; moreover, it is an excellent example of how heritage issues extend well beyond the physical fabric of the historical resource and are ultimately contextual in nature.
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Details of the Expert(s) Completing this Report
Please provide a brief biography for each of the experts completing this report. Biographies should include name, professional affiliations, qualifications, and a description of individual roles and responsibilities in relation to the heritage resource.
Professor Wendy Pullan, Director, Centre for Urban Conflicts Research, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge (www.urbanconflicts.arct.cam.ac.uk).
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