The Muslim Quarter is the largest quarter in the old city and accommodates 22000 residents. In this quarter live mostly poor Muslims, in the 20th century when the constructing outside the old city began, most of the richer Jews, Christians and Muslim left the old city for a more spacious life outside its walls.
Following that many more Muslims from neighboring villages moved into the old city which left this quarter in a very low social-economic state. The Muslim Quarter is a very sensitive area politically for it is close proximity to the Temple Mount and its very crowded street have made it controversial to make any archeological excavations.