The Old City walls number among Jerusalem's most important cultural assets. They are without doubt an outstanding monument which has influenced the city's urban landscape, both in the past and present.
The project is managed by the Jerusalem Development Authority.
The city wall, as we know it today, was built in the Ottoman period, in 1537, by the sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and it is the latest fortification system to have enclosed Jerusalem in the city's history. Parts of more ancient walls are incorporated in the Ottoman wall and these can be seen along certain sections of it. The city wall from the Ottoman period was preserved in its entirety, save a few changes that were carried out to parts of it.
The condition of the wall has deteriorated over the years due to its exposure to constant weathering and destruction.
The Jerusalem City Walls Conservation Project was begun in 2007 after several stones fell from the wall. This extensive project is being administered by the Jerusalem Development Authority and is underwritten by the Prime Minister's Office. The Conservation Department of the Israel Antiquities Authority was selected to plan and implement the work. Work on such a broad scope has not been performed on the city walls since the renovations that were conducted there at the time of the British Mandate in the 1920's.
Conservation measures were begun in January 2007 and finished in May 2012.
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