Shaare Zedek old building, Jerusalem, Heritage site on Jaffa Road, Jerusalem, Israel.

Shaare Zedek is a stone structure on Jaffa Road combining German architectural features with local Jerusalem design, featuring high ceilings and large windows that bring in plenty of natural light. The exterior remains in its original form and is now protected as a historical landmark.

The cornerstone was laid on 13 August 1897 and the hospital opened on 27 January 1902, on the birthday of Kaiser Wilhelm, with Jerusalem's Jewish, Muslim and Christian notables attending. It was the second Jewish hospital built outside the Old City walls, after Meir Rothschild Hospital moved to Rehavia in 1888. Dr. Moshe Wallach, who raised funds in Germany, served as director and chief physician.

The building reflects a meeting of European and local building traditions that shaped Jerusalem during the late 1800s. Walking around it today, you can see how these different influences came together in the stone work and overall design.

The building stands at 161 Jaffa Road, on the western side of the city. The main entrance sits at the centre of the facade, reached through a stone-framed doorway with a carved wooden door; the symmetrical plan makes orientation easy once inside. The courtyard holds a small cemetery, so visitors should keep to the paths.

The small cemetery in the courtyard dates from the period of Israel's founding in 1948, not from the hospital's early years. The site also served the Israel Broadcasting Authority after the hospital closed in 1980, and since January 2021 the Midtown Jerusalem project has housed artists, musicians and dance groups there.