Mauristan

Jerusalem


The Mauristan, a Persian word meaning 'hospital' or 'hospice', has a 19th-century fountain at its centre and leads to two souqs (one full of butcher shops) that link to David St. The plaza was an urban market under the Romans. The Crusaders established churches with attached hospices here; one of them, St John the Baptist, still exists, although its hospice building is long gone. Today, lined by clothing and souvenir shops, it's a relatively relaxed and roomy place to stroll.