The Zion Gate, also known as Bab Harat al-Yahud in Arabic or Sha’ar Zion in Hebrew, was constructed in July 1540, during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The gate was built west of the location of the medieval gate, which was a direct continuation of the Street of the Jews, also known as the Cardo Maximus. As part of the fortification efforts, six sentry towers were erected in the southern segment of the wall, four of which were situated in the Mount Zion section.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the area surrounding the Zion Gate underwent significant changes. A leper colony, slaughter house, and livestock market were established in its vicinity. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, shops were built along the length of the southern wall. However, these were later torn down during the British Mandate.

One of the most significant moments in the gate’s history occurred on May 13, 1948. As the British Army withdrew from Jerusalem amidst the escalating conflict, a major from the Suffolk Regiment presented Mordechai Weingarten with the key for the Zion Gate. 

In 1984, the Jerusalem Foundation backed a meticulously planned project to refurbish the area around the gate. The project addressed damage resulting from both traffic and warfare, although signs of the heavy bombardment the gate suffered in 1948 and 1967 were preserved. The initiative also included the creation of a small plaza linking the gate to a parking zone, the construction of two seating areas, the restoration of the medieval gatehouse door damaged in a violent storm in 1894, and the stone paving of the area around the gate.

In 2008, more restoration work was carried out on the gate, marking its 468th birthday. This preservation work involved cleaning the stones and restoring those that had been damaged in the Israeli War of Independence. Notably, the original shell and bullet damage has been preserved, likely as a historical reminder of the gate’s past.