Sultan Suliemam The Magnificent Sabil

For centuries water has reached Jerusalem via aqueducts from the vicinity of Bethlehem. The Lower Aqueduct provided water for the Temple Mount while the Upper Aqueduct provided water for the upper city. The Ottomans restored the Lower Aqueduct which supplied water for drinking fountains. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent constructed six drinking fountains for wayfarers in Jerusalem, known as Sabils. One is located near Sultan Pools outside Jaffa Gate and the other five are located inside the Old City Walls. The water flowed into the sabils vis the lower aqueduct which carried from Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem to the Temple Mount. Sultan Suleiman restored the old Aqueduct and added a new channel to supply water to the Sabils. The Sabil Suleiman located near the Chain Gate is a splendid sabil that combines the diverse style is built from stone in secondary use (primarily from the Crusader period) including the Crusader sarcophagus serving as the trough at the bottom. The Sabil Al-Wad is locatedon Al Wad Street and was restored and cleaned in 2013 and was connected to the municipality water system. The sabil is complete including a sarcophagus for the trough, framing arches and vaults and even the nozzle though which the water flowed. The Inspector Gate sabil is the smallest of the six sabils. It served worshipers coming to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque.