Jerusalem Old City: The Keys Are Held by a Muslim Family and Have Been Since 1187

The keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the most sacred site in Christianity, are held by the Joudeh family, Muslims who have been custodians since Saladin assigned the role in 1187. A second Muslim family, the Nusaybah, holds the doorkeeping responsibility, established in 1192. This arrangement exists because the six Christian denominations that share the church (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syriac) cannot agree on which of them should hold the keys. The Ottoman solution, now 800 years old, still holds.

The Old City of Jerusalem is 1 square kilometre of limestone and compressed history. The walls around it were built by Suleiman the Magnificent between 1535 and 1542, running 4.5 kilometres with 35 towers and gates that have been open and closed by more armies, empires, and religious authorities than most cities have had governments. Inside those walls, the four quarters are less geographically neat than any map suggests. The border between the Muslim Quarter and the Christian Quarter is a transaction rather than a line.

Getting There

Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) is the main international entry point. From there, the fastest option to Jerusalem is a shared sherut (taxi van) for around 70-80 ILS per person, or a private taxi for 250-300 ILS. The train from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon station takes about 30 minutes and costs around 26 ILS; from the station to the Old City is another 20 minutes by taxi or light rail.

Visitors travelling via Jordan may cross through the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing into the West Bank and continue by taxi to Jerusalem. Check current border conditions before planning this route.

The Four Quarters

The Old City divides into four quarters, though the division was largely formalised on a British map from the 1840s rather than reflecting ancient boundaries.

The Jewish Quarter was extensively rebuilt after 1967 and contains the Western Wall plaza, the Cardo (a Roman-era colonnaded street excavated and partially restored), and the Burnt House museum, which documents a priestly home destroyed in 70 CE when Rome sacked the city. It is the most tourist-oriented quarter and the most physically legible because of the modern reconstruction.

The Muslim Quarter is the largest and least curated. The streets around Al-Wad Road and the Via Dolorosa are lined with shops and Palestinian residential life operating in parallel with religious tourism. Morning is the best time to walk here before the tour groups arrive.

The Christian Quarter centres on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church was originally built by Constantine in 335 CE, destroyed in 614 CE by the Sassanid Persians, rebuilt, destroyed again by the Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim in 1009, and subsequently reconstructed by Crusaders in 1149. The current structure contains Golgotha (Calvary), the tomb of Christ, and a dozen subsidiary chapels maintained by different denominations. It is free to enter and open daily. The atmosphere inside is more chaotic and more genuinely sacred than most visitors expect.

The Armenian Quarter is the smallest and least visited. The St. James Cathedral, built over what tradition identifies as the burial site of St. James the Apostle, is only open for services. The Armenian Museum on Armenian Patriarchate Road documents the community’s history, including the 1915-1923 genocide, and is worth seeking out specifically.

The Temple Mount

The Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif to Muslims) contains the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque. Non-Muslim visitors may enter through the Mughrabi Gate, accessible via a wooden bridge near the Dung Gate. Entry hours for non-Muslims are Sunday through Thursday, 7:30-11:00am and 1:30-2:30pm. The Mount is closed to non-Muslims on Fridays, Saturdays, and Islamic holidays.

Dress requirements are enforced: full-length trousers or long skirts, covered shoulders. No religious articles from other faiths are permitted visible. Arrive early; the morning session ends at 11am and the queue can take 30-45 minutes in peak season.

The Western Wall is directly below the Mount, accessible 24 hours, with separate sections for men and women. There is no charge. Notes placed in the wall are traditionally considered private; they are collected periodically and buried on the Mount of Olives.

Eating

Hummus Abu Shukri on Al-Wad Street in the Muslim Quarter is one of the most consistently cited hummus restaurants in the city, with a following among locals and informed visitors that has persisted for decades. A bowl with pita costs around 35-45 ILS. Arrive before 1pm; it closes when the food runs out.

The Mahane Yehuda Market (Shuk) is in West Jerusalem, about 20 minutes by taxi from the Old City, and is the better option for a broader eating experience. Machneyuda restaurant near the market does modern Israeli cooking with Michelin-level ambition; expect 200-350 ILS per person with wine and book several weeks ahead for weekend evenings.

Inside the Old City, the Armenian Tavern on Armenian Patriarchate Road serves solid Middle Eastern food in a setting that most tourists never find. The lunch menu runs 80-130 ILS per person and the courtyard is one of the quieter places in the quarter.

Staying

The American Colony Hotel is in East Jerusalem, outside the Old City walls, in a 19th-century pasha’s residence. It has hosted Bob Dylan, Lawrence of Arabia, and several rounds of peace negotiations. Rooms start around $350-500 per night. The courtyard restaurant and the Saturday brunch buffet are worth attention even if you are not staying.

The Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, less than a kilometre from Jaffa Gate, occupies a 1929 building originally designed as a palace and then as the Palestinian Arab headquarters. Rooms from $400 per night, with a striking glass atrium added to the historic structure. The kosher restaurants serve an Israeli breakfast worth having.

For mid-range, the Dan Panorama Jerusalem has rooftop pool views over the Old City walls and reliable service at around $180-250 per night. The Abraham Hostel West Jerusalem works well for budget travellers at around $35-60 per bed in a dorm; the social atmosphere is notably more international than the older guesthouses.

A Few Practical Points

The Via Dolorosa, the route tradition identifies as Jesus’s path from judgment to crucifixion, runs 14 stations through the Muslim Quarter into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The route is marked and free to walk. On Friday mornings at 3pm, the Franciscans lead a formal procession of the route, which includes prayers at each station and passes through the active market streets. Joining it as an observer rather than a participant is straightforward and provides a different kind of access to the quarter than solo navigation.

Ramadan changes the rhythm of the Muslim Quarter significantly. Businesses open later, restaurants adjust hours, and the evenings become more active. It is not a difficult time to visit but requires flexibility. Check the Islamic calendar when planning.

The Ramparts Walk along the top of the Old City walls is open most days and provides an unusual perspective on the quarters below. The full circuit takes 2-3 hours and involves some narrow sections and stairs. Tickets are around 20 ILS.

The best crowd-dodging strategy for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is arriving before 8am. The church opens at 5am and the first 90 minutes are used primarily by the denominations for their own services, with visitors welcome but tours not yet present. Walking into Golgotha with candles lit and chanting in multiple languages, without a queue, is the experience the site was designed for.