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Palestine Atlas

Muslim Quarter

Basic Information

Type
Town
Governorate
Jerusalem
Region
Jerusalem

Overview

The Muslim Quarter is the largest and most populous of the four quarters of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, extending from the Lions' Gate in the east, along the northern wall of the Haram al-Sharif in the south, to the Damascus Gate-Western Wall route in the west. It covers 31 hectares (77 acres) of the 0.9 km² walled city. Historically, the area was not a unified 'quarter' but comprised several smaller neighborhoods (harat) — including Bab Hutta, Bab al-Asbat, Sa'diyya, and Bani Zayd — that were consolidated into the 'Muslim Quarter' on 19th-century European maps. The quarter contains the northern portion of the Haram al-Sharif platform (including the magnificent Mamluk-era facades and entrances to the platform), the starting point of the Christian Via Dolorosa, and the bustling Damascus Gate area — the commercial and social heart of Palestinian Jerusalem. Since 1967, the Muslim Quarter has faced increasing settler encroachment: organizations like Ateret Cohanim have acquired properties through front companies, legal pressure, and exploitation of absentee property laws, establishing Jewish settlement compounds within the heart of the Muslim Quarter. These settler enclaves, protected by armed guards, create friction points in the densely populated Palestinian area.

Historical Significance

Contains the northern portion of the Temple Mount (Haram al-Sharif) and the starting point of the Via Dolorosa. Historically the center of Muslim life in Jerusalem.

Sources and record limitations

Source detail varies by record. Some entries include document and page references; others supply source names only. Check the cited material and the record's limitations before relying on a specific claim.

  • Ir Amim
  • B'Tselem
  • UN OCHA
  • ARIJ
  • PASSIA
  • UNESCO
  • Ateret Cohanim (settler organization)

The Muslim Quarter faces settler encroachment from Ateret Cohanim. Damascus Gate remains the vibrant commercial and cultural heart of Palestinian Jerusalem.