Woke up just before dawn and headed down to the Eastern side of Masjid al-Aqsa. Serene and peaceful, dew in the air, birds bursting into song along with church bells and the call to prayer.

Jerusalem is an ancient city which holds endless history, stories, and incredible importance to many people. Jerusalem’s sealed “Golden Gate” holds a variety of significance for different religions and people, and the story of how this Easternmost gate to the city came to be sealed is one entrenched in history and religious prophecies.

The gate in its present form was sealed by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in 1541. The exterior face of the gate (as it remains from the 16th century), is a sealed double entrance that leads into two vaulted halls

In Jewish tradition, the Messiah will enter Jerusalem through this gate, coming from the Mount of Olives. Christians and Muslims generally believe that this was the gate through which Jesus entered Jerusalem.

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