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Jerusalem
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 Every
visitor to Palestine must visit the old city of Jerusalem.
Each carries with them their own baggage of preconceived ideas,
religious or political. And yet each will be surprised by
what they find. For all its fame, Jerusalem is a small town,
with many faces and weighed down with history. But it also
offers an enormous amount to see, whether your client is interested
in ancient history, religion or contemporary politics. Within
the city, the third holiest site for Muslims - The Haram al-Sharif
from where Mohammed rose to heaven will be found; the holy
Christian sites of the youth of Jesus, his crucifixion, burial
and resurrection and the holiest Jewish site, The Western
Wall.
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• The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
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Preserving the most holy moments of the death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, this church is the world's
holiest shrine to Christians. Situated in the Old City's
Christian Quarter, the church was first built in the fourth
century by Constantine's Mother Helena over the site of a Roman
Pagan temple.
The Present structure is Crusader (12 century) and contains the last
five Stations of the Cross. It also contains the Chapel of
Golgotha where Jesus was crucified, the Sepulchre itself where
Jesus was buried and from which he rose, and the Chapel of Mary
Magdalene where the risen Christ first revealed himself.
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• Church of Gethsemane
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Located on the Mt. of Olives, the Church
of the Gethsemane was originally built by the Byzantines in
379 over the place made holy by Jesus' prayer and agony. The
present church, considered one of the most beautiful in Jerusalem,
was built in 1919-1924. It was called the Church of all Nations
considering that sixteen nations contributed to its construction.
The Garden of Gethsemane lies at the foot of the Mt. of
Olives. Today it appears as it did 20 centuries ago and
within it are some of the world's oldest olive trees. The
garden was a spot favored by Jesus and it was here that He
often came for His retreats and prayer. It was also here
that, on His last night, Jesus spent the most sorrowful hour
of His passion
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• The Church of All Nations
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The Church of All Nations (also known as the Basilica of Agony)
is so named because its construction in 1924 was financed by
twelve different countries. The church is built over 2 others,
the Egenia dating from around 380, and a crusader basilica of
around 1170. The Church is also notable for its Byzantine mosaic
floor and the striking mosaic arches above the entrance.
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• Dome of the Rock (al-Haram al-Sharif)
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Situated in the Old City's Muslim Quarter, this mosque is the
third holiest shrine to Muslims after the Kaaba in Mecca and
the Tomb of the Prophet in Medina, Saudi Arabia.It marks the
spot where the Prophet Mohammed travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem
on a journey the Koran describes as the furthest. It is also
the oldest and most exquisite Muslim shrine in the world. Built
at the end of the seventh century by the Ummayad Caliph Abdulmalik
ben Marwan, the mosque has a rectangular octagon exterior and
a spectacular gold- covered dome. The Dome of the Rock, with
its colonnades and gardens, stretches over one-fifth of the
Old City, occupying a vast area of 140,900-sq. m.
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• The Distant Mosque (Al-Aqsa)
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Located next to the Dome of the Rock, this silver-domed mosque
is part of the third holiest shrine to Muslims. Originally
built between 709-715 AD by Caliph Waleed Ben Abdul Malik,
al-Aqsa was reconstructed at least six times and very little
of the original mosque remains in the present structure.
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• Western Wall
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The Western Wall ( called in Islamic tradition
Hait el-Buraq) or the Wailing Wall, because Jews come here
to bemoan the destruction of their Temple. The area in front
of the Maqarebah quarter was demolished in 1967 and turned
into a Synagogue.
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• The Garden Tomb
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Located north of the Old City's Damascus Gate, the simplicity,
beauty, and peaceful atmosphere of the Garden Tomb makes it
a favorite spot for prayer and meditation. Some Christians find
worshipping near the rock-hewn tomb helpful in reliving the
crucifixion and resurrection experience. The Garden Tomb gives
a clear picture of what the place of Crucifixion and burial
must have looked like at the time of Jesus.
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• Via Dolorosa
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This is the traditional route of the path that Jesus followed
carrying the cross from Antonia fortress, where he was condemned
to death, to Calvary, where he was crucified. The event is commemorated
at fourteen stations: two are located at Antonia, seven are
located in the streets, and the last five are inside the Church
of the Holy Sepulchre.
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• The Citadel (Tower Of David)
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The Tower of David is actually the minaret of a mosque built
in the Ottoman period encompassing a couple of Towers, Walls,
Ramps and Gardens by the Jaffa Gate entrance. The site is worth
taking time to explore. It is said that Herod built the tower
and there are still the remains of three towers since that time.
The Mamluk rebuilt it in the 14th century, where King Bin-Qalawoon
added a mosque in 1310 and fortified it. Another minaret was
added to the mosque in 1531 by Sultan Suleiman the magnificent.
Now the Citadel has been changed into a museum.
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• Mount of Olives
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The Mt. of Olives
is located east of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley. It offers
a magnificent view of the Old City and a striking panorama as
far as the Dead Sea and the mountains of Moab in the East. The
Mt. of Olives is associated with some of the most important
events in Jesus' life. Here, Jesus ascended to Heaven (Chapel
of Ascension), foretold the destruction Jerusalem, taught his
disciples the Lord's prayer (Pater Noster), and wept over Jerusalem
on his way to the Holy City on Palm Sunday (Church of Dominus
Flevit). The Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene,
with its striking onion-shaped spires is also located on the
Mt. of Olives.
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• Tomb of Virgin Mary
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According to tradition, the Virgin Mary, who died in Jerusalem,
was buried in the Kidron Valley. The present church was built
by the Crusaders over the ruins of a Byzantine basilica. The
site marks the traditional place of Virgin Mary's tomb and her
Assumption.
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• Bethany
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Located 2 miles east of Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the
Mount of Olives, Bethany was the home of Lazarus and his two
sisters, Mary and Martha, whom Jesus loved. The village has
carried the name Lazarus since the fourth century and it is
where Jesus performed the great miracle of raising Lazarus from
the dead.
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• The Kidron Valley
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The Kidron Valley separates the Mt. of Olives from the City
of Jerusalem. Jesus crossed the valley many times, including
on the evening of Holy Thursday when he went with his disciples
to Gethsemane. The ancient tombs of Absalom, Jehoshaphat, St.
James, and St. Zacharias are located in the Kidron Valley. According
to local tradition, the Kidron will be the site of the Last
Judgement. This belief lead to the creation of cemeteries in
the Kidron Valley for Christians, Muslims and Jews alike.
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Gates and Walls of the Old City
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The magnificent walls of Jerusalem’s Old City
constitute a living example of Arab Islamic architecture. The
walls surrounding the old city were built by the Ottoman under
the direct supervision of Sultan Suleiman Al Qanouni in 1542.
The walls stretch for twelve miles over an area with a diameter
of two miles and rise to a height of 40 feet. They contain 43
surveillance towers and 11 gates, seven of which are presently
open.
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• Damascus Gate (Bab al-Amud)
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This is the largest, most elaborate and most heavily defended
of the Old City’s seven gates. It is also the only one
to have been excavated.
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• Jaffa Gate (Bab al-Khalil)
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Jaffa Gate is the main western entrance to the Old City. Bab al-Khalil
is very much a tourist gate. The shops around the gate are purely
for tourists. On the right just inside the gate, is one of the
city’s best known sites, the Citadel or Tower of David.
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• Zion Gate
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This connects the Armenian Quarter with Mt. Zion, which lies outside
the walls and serves as a border between it and the Jewish Quarter.
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• Dung Gate (Bab Harat al-Magharbeh)
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It is the only city gate that leads to the Jewish Quarter as
well as al-Haram al-Sharif. On the right just inside the gate,
the Ophel Archaeological Gardens capture the whole of Jerusalem’s
turbulent history in a confined area.
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• New Gate (Bab al-Jadid)
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Bab al-Jadid lies at the northwest corner of the old city. It
was constructed to create access between the Christian Quarter
within the city walls and the new Christian properties outside
them.
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• Lions Gate (St. Stephen’s Gate)
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Lion's Gate marks
the beginning of the Via Dolorosa and is on the eastern side
of the old city.
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• Golden Gate
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This gate has
been sealed since the 1600’s and legend has it that the
Messiah will pass through this gate.
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