Palestine and Syria: Handbook for Travelers
From the point where the Christian Street joins the David Street (see above), we follow the latter westwards, towards the Jaffa Gate. To the right is the New Bazaar (PI. 4), a large stone building with shops fitted up on the European plan. A road along the E. side of the bazaar leads past the Greek Hospital, on the left (PI. 47), to the Casa Nuova.
The road to the W. from the Bazaar leads to the Latin Patriarchate (PI. 91). The church was built from the designs of the Patriarch Valerga (p. 34) and, with the surrounding corridors, is worthy of inspection. The patriarchate contains an extensive library. — On the territory of the patriarchate, in the N.W. corner of the city, the Frères de la Doctrine Chrétienne have erected a large school, the roof of which affords a fine view. In the interior of this building are still seen the remains of the so-called Castle of Goliath (Kasr Jâlûd, PI. 32). The oldest relics of the castle consist (in the S. part) of the substruction of a massive square tower (perhaps the 'Psephinus' of Josephus) ; four courses of large smooth-hewn stones are still recognisable. The centre of the building is occupied by four large pillars of huge drafted blocks. — Passing along the wall of the ground of the school, we come to the Bâb 'Abdu'l-Hamîd, opened in 1889, and usually spoken of as the `New Gate'.
Opposite the Jaffa Gate rises the Citadel, or 'Castle of David' (Arab. el-Kal'a). The citadel (not very interesting) consists of an irregular group of towers, surrounded by a moat, the greater part of which is filled with rubbish. The substructions of the towers consist of a thick wall rising at an angle of about 45° from the bottom of the moat. The chief tower is on the N.E. side. Up to a height of 39 ft. , reckoning from the bottom of the moat, the masonry consists of large drafted blocks, with rough surfaces. The form of these stones, as compared with those which have been used higher up, indicate that these foundations are ancient. The building answers the description given us of the 'Phasael Tower' of Herod's palace (p. 25). Josephus (Bell. Jud. v. 4, 3) states that this tower had a massive substructure of large blocks and measured 40 ells in every direction. Leaving out of account the present superstructure and reckoning in the 3 (?) courses of stones hidden in the ground, the present tower is 65 ft. high, 19 yds. broad, and 23 yds. long, which approximately agrees with the 40 ells. The blocks are built up without mortar, in such a way that the upper block always lies crosswise on the lower. The whole of the ancient tower is of massive construction (except a small passage on the W. side), and the finest example of the ancient wall-towers of Jerusalem, whose substructures consisted of a solid cube of rock or wall. There is still a reservoir for water in the interior of the tower. — Titus left this tower standing when he destroyed the city. When Jerusalem was taken by the Franks this castle was the last place to yield. Even at that period it was called the 'Castle of David', from the tradition that this monarch once had his palace here. In its present form the citadel dates from the beginning of the 14th, and its restoration from the 16th century.
To the S. of the castle is a barrack, and to the E. are the Palatine Bank (p. 19), Christ Church (PI. 25), a boys' school, and other buildings belonging to tho English Jewish mission.
Farther to the S. lies the Armenian Quarter. To the right, skirting the city-wall, stretches the large garden of the Armenian Monastery, with its fine trees and pretty view into the valley. The extensive buildings of the monastery opposite, to the left, are said to have accommodation for several thousand pilgrims. The palace of the patriarch is one of the handsomest modern huildings in Jerusalem. The Church of St. James is well worth a visit. The nave and aisles, of equal height, are separated hy elegant pillars; the dome is formed hy intersecting semicircular arches. The walls are lined with porcelain tiles to the height of 6 ft., ahove which they are covered with pictures. The W. aisle contains the chief sanctuary, viz. the prison in which James the Great was heheaded (Acts xv. 2). The monastery includes a printing-office, a seminary, a large hospice for pilgrims, schools for boys and girls, and a small museum. A little farther to the S. is the Armenian nunnery of Dêr ez-Zêtûn, the interesting old church of which is regarded hy the Armenians as the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas.