Jerusalem2001 - Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter stands on the site of High City of Herod's period.
That area was abondoned by Jews under Hadrian's reign and only at the end of crusades certain Jews, like rabbis and their students returned to that area.
During the War of Independence in 1948 the area was occupied by Jordanians and was razed to the ground during the Six Day War. Fortunately, large scale and archeological excavations were undertaking and brought to the light the Burned House.

As we walking in the Old City of Jerusalem, a few meters beneath the existing road we find the Cardo Maximus, the route that led from the Damascus Gate to the Old Zion Gate.
The road we see today is features the Byzantine era when the major restoration works were done. The Cardo was a street with porticoes and shops with many colons. We can see today only a half wide of that street.

Below the modern buildings we see today took place the market from crusader period.
These day we find unique shopping center on that site.

By the side of Cardo we find two very old synagogues: Ramban and Hurva synagogues.
Ramban synagogue was named after Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman, a great Talmudic scholar.
This synagogue was closed by the Turkish government in XVI century, then was destroyed in 1948, and partially rebuilt in 1967.

Right behind the Ramban synagogue we see another great Hurva synagogue (the word Hurva means "ruin").
This synagogue was built by Polish Jews in XVIII'th century.
It was destroyed several times, but during 1948 was razed to the ground by the Arab League.

Inside the Hurva synagogue we see could the old courtyard.

During the time there made a few restoration works only on the great arch and the courtyard.
No restoration work were done on the synagogues in order to show future generations how much devastation the district suffered.

As we'll walk a few meters from the Hurva synagogue we'll see the remains of Tif'eret Israel Synagogue ("Glory Of Israel").
The synagouge was also totally destroyed during 1948.
The only remains are the three richly carved portals.
Nearby we also see the ruins of Karaite Synagogue from the IX century.