‘Everyone knows that Jerusalem is made upon layer upon layer of history. In this very small place we have all that history.’

The old Ottoman Kishle building, adjacent to Jerusalem’s Tower of David Museum near the Jaffa Gate, opened to the public. The attraction isn’t so much the 19th century edifice itself; that’s not so old for Israel. The fascinating part is what likes underneath its floors — basically the timeline of Jerusalem spanning close to 3,000 years.

Tower of David Museum spokeswoman Caroline Shapiro says, “I don’t know if there’s anywhere else in Jerusalem that really shows a timeline quite like this. Everyone knows that Jerusalem is made upon layer upon layer of history. In this very small place we have all that history; the stone is witness to so many momentous occasions in the history of the city.”