Zion Square, Public square in Jerusalem, Israel
Zion Square is a public square in downtown Jerusalem, formed where Jaffa Road, Ben Yehuda Street, Herbert Samuel Street, and Yoel Moshe Salomon Street come together. It sits at one corner of the Downtown Triangle commercial district and serves as a central meeting point for the area.
The square began as Zion Circus, named after a silent movie house built in 1912 that later collapsed under snow and was rebuilt as a larger theater. After World War I, the land was bought from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and developed into the Downtown Triangle under British Mandate officials.
The name comes from the Zion Cinema that once stood here, and the square still draws a mix of people: shoppers, students, street performers, and activists. On any given evening you might see musicians playing near the benches or groups handing out leaflets.
The square is easy to reach on foot from nearby streets and is close to several bus lines and the light rail. It has no steps or barriers, so you can walk through it freely at any time of day.
The square was designed as a roundabout, a detail that still shapes the flow of traffic around its edges. For decades it was a regular stage for mass protests, a role that faded after 2011.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,550 contributors worldwide.