From the latter place it is a distance of four parasangs to Mount Gilboa, which the Christians call Mont Gilboa; it lies in a very parched district.  And from there it is five[75] ..., a village where there are no Jews.  Thence it is two parasangs to the valley of Ajalon[76], which the Christians call Val-de-Luna.  At a distance of one parasang is Mahomerie-le-Grand, which is Gibeon the Great; it contains no Jews.

From there it is three parasangs to Jerusalem, which is a small city, fortified by three walls.  It is full of people whom the Mohammedans call Jacobites, Syrians, Greeks, Georgians and Franks, and of people of all tongues.

[p.35]

It contains a dyeing-house, for which the Jews pay a small rent annually to the king[77], on condition that besides the Jews no other dyers be allowed in Jerusalem.  There are about 200 Jews who dwell under the Tower of David in one corner of the city[78].  The lower portion of the wall of the Tower of David, to the extent of about ten cubits, is part of the ancient foundation set up by our ancestors, the remaining portion having been built by the Mohammedans.  There is no structure in the whole city stronger than the Tower of David.  The city also contains two buildings, from one of which—­the hospital—­there issue forth four hundred knights; and therein all the sick who come thither are lodged and cared for in life and in death[79].  The other building is called the Temple of Solomon; it is the palace built by Solomon the king of Israel.  Three hundred knights are quartered there, and issue therefrom every day for military exercise, besides those who come from the land of the Franks and the other parts of Christendom, having taken upon themselves to serve there a year or two until their vow is fulfilled.  In Jerusalem is the great church called the Sepulchre, and here is the burial-place of Jesus, unto which the Christians make pilgrimages.

[p.36]

Jerusalem[80] has four gates—­the gate of Abraham, the gate of David, the gate of Zion, and the gate of Gushpat, which is the gate of Jehoshaphat, facing our ancient Temple, now called Templum Domini.  Upon the site of the sanctuary Omar ben al Khataab erected an edifice with a very large and magnificent cupola, into which the Gentiles do not bring any image or effigy, but they merely come there to pray.  In front of this place is the western wall, which is one of the walls of the Holy of Holies.  This is called the Gate of Mercy, and thither come all the Jews to pray before the wall of the court of the Temple.  In Jerusalem, attached to the palace which belonged to Solomon, are the stables built by him, forming a very substantial structure, composed of large stones, and the like of it is not to be seen anywhere in the world.  There is also visible up to this day the pool used by the priests before offering their sacrifices, and the Jews coming thither write their names upon the wall.  The gate of Jehoshaphat leads to the valley of Jehoshaphat, which is the gathering-place of nations[81].  Here is the pillar called Absalom’s Hand, and the sepulchre of King Uzziah[82].