Armenian Quarter

Armenian Quarter

When visiting Israel, the Armenian Quarter is generally included on a tour. It covers a sixth of the area contained within the Old Walls. Some Christians believe it is the site of Mount Zion and one of the gates of the Old City to the southern end of the quarter is called Zion Gate. A large section of the Armenian Quarter is occupied by an Armenian Monastery, while there are also a number of churches situated here belonging to various Christian denominations which is why many Christian tours to Israel include this in the itinerary. The Syrian Orthodox church of St Marks is of particular interest and visitors are recommended to take in the spectacular views from the top of the Maronite Patriarchate. The Cathedral of St James is the largest Armenian Church in Israel.

The Armenian Museum is housed within a former Armenian Theological Seminary. The collections include archeological artifacts relating to the Armenian presence in Jerusalem including mosaic pavements and 1^st century frescoes. The Gulbenkain Library contains rare manuscripts as does nearby St Toros Church.