When the modern state of Israel came into existence in 1948, Jerusalem was supposed to be an "International City", which meant the Jewish Quarter was supposed to fall under jurisdiction of the Jewish people. During the Israeli War of Independence, the Jordanians took control of the Jewish Quarter and forced all the Jews to leave and set about destroying everything inside. One third of the all the buildings were totally demolished.
In 1967, after the Six Day War, the Jewish people were once again in control of the Jewish Quarter. The Israeli government allowed 25 Arab families to remain in their homes (as a gesture of good will) and financially compensated the rest of the Arabs who were evacuated. With that, rebuilding the quarter began, with the intention of blending in the new buildings, with what remained of the old. During the rebuild process, archaeologists oversaw all construction work, to preserve any antiquities.
The most famous landmark of the Jewish Quarter is the Western Wall. This massive retaining wall once protected the Temple of Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 20 C.E. Inside the Jewish Quarter are plenty of restaurants and shops for visitors to browse through. The majority of residents of this area are religious Jews, split between Modern Orthodox and Ultra Orthodox. As a result, everything in the area is closed mid-day Friday to Saturday night - in preparation for Shabbat.
