East Gate

During the time of the First Temple, one standing on the Mount of Olives could look over this Eastern Gate (also called Shushan or HaKohan gate) into the huge area presently north of the Dome of the Rock and see all the gates (at different levels) in a perfect line: the East (or Shushan) Gate --Outer Court Gate --Inner Court Gate --Temple Entrance.

"All the walls which were there were high, except the wall in the east, so that the priest who burned the heifer, standing on the top of the Mount of Olives, and directing himself to look, saw through the gateway of the sanctuary, at the time when he sprinkled the blood." [Mishnah, Middot 2:4].

The Golden gate (Eastern Gate) in the eastern wall of Jerusalem gave access to the courtyards of the Temple from the Kidron valley. The gate was not sealed up until after the Crusader period. During the Second Temple period the gate was called the "Beautiful Gate of the temple" where the miracle of the healing of the lame man was performed (Acts 3:1-10). Remains of this earlier gate are found under the foundations of the present gate. Through this gate Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

See The Eastern Gate and Prophecy