Jerusalem Explored, Volume 1—Text: Being a Description of the Ancient and Modern City, with Numerous Illustrations Consisting of Views, Ground Plans and SectionsPierotti, Ermete
History
Jerusalem Explored, Volume 1—Text: Being a Description of the Ancient and Modern City, with Numerous Illustrations Consisting of Views, Ground Plans and Sections
Pierotti, Ermete
Jerusalem -- Antiquities; Jerusalem -- Description and travel
probable that the gates and the gallery were built in the days of
Solomon, either as an entrance to the Temple from the south, or perhaps
as part of the substructure of the palace of Pharaoh's daughter, which
may have occupied this position. The whole was, no doubt, destroyed by
the Chaldeans and repaired to the best of his ability by Nehemiah. It is
very probable that the south gate and the galleries were rebuilt by
Herod, when he undertook his great work of the restoration of the
Temple, to form a communication between it (especially the Court of the
Gentiles) and the south part of the city. We need not suppose that it
was entirely destroyed when the Romans razed the sacred buildings,
because, though the ruins which fell upon it might injure the vaulting,
they would also cover and so preserve it. In the gate at the south
extremity we recognise the Middle Gates of Josephus; the position of
which is defined by the words of the historian: "the fourth front of the
Temple, which was southwards, had gates in the middle[343]." Justinian
was, I think, the person who repaired and adorned these gates, and
rebuilt the vaults, to support the foundations of his basilica, and
serve at the same time for a communication between Moriah and the south
part of the city. The east wall of the galleries is underneath the row
of pillars, on the east of the first side aisle in the same direction;
that is, under one of the outer walls of the ancient basilica; while the
west wall is exactly under the line running down the middle of the great
nave. The architect must have _rebuilt_ them to serve for this purpose,
and not simply availed himself of what was already there, because, as I
have already said, the character of the masonry in the walls shews that
it is not older than the age of Justinian.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account