Jerusalem's first neighbourhood outside the Old City walls, built by Sir Moses Montefiore in 1860 as housing for impoverished Jewish families willing to live beyond the protection of the walls. The original residents were reluctant — venturing outside at night was genuinely dangerous — and Montefiore had to pay them to move in. Today Yemin Moshe is one of the city's most desirable addresses, a terraced enclave of stone cottages, flower gardens, and artists' studios clinging to the valley slope opposite the Old City.
The neighbourhood has extraordinary views: the Old City walls, the Tower of David, and the Jaffa Gate are directly across the Hinnom Valley, close enough that you can make out the stones. The Montefiore Windmill stands at the northern edge, and the small lanes between the houses are quiet even during peak tourist season. This is where to come if you want to look at Jerusalem from a distance and take its measure before plunging back into it.