General

Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel.

It is sacred to the three monotheistic religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

As a result, the city was the focus of conflicts and wars and still to these days.

Because it is a holy place to the three religions the city is a pilgrimage site for many believers all over the world.

In 1981 Jerusalem's Old City was declared the World Heritage Site by UNESCO

(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

History

Jerusalem became a permanent city from a temporary settlement during the 19th century BC.

In the 14th century BC, Late Bronze Age, Jerusalem was already fortified and important Canaanite city.

According to the bible, after that King David conquered the city and declared it his capital the first temple was built by his sun Solomon.

In 586 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar II conquered the city and destroyed the First Temple.

With the rise of the Persian Empire, Jerusalem was re-established as the capital of the Jewish province, and the second temple was built.

The Hasmonean revolt broke in 167 BCE, after that the Hasmonean family took control of Judea and ruled Jerusalem.

With the Roman conquest in 63 BC, the Power was handed over to Herod who built the Herod's temple.

In 66 AD the great revolt against Rome has began, and Jerusalem was captured and burnt. In 70 the second temple was also destroyed.

Only by the early Byzantine period, Jerusalem was declared as a holy city again by the Christian, and it became an important religious center, thanks to the establishment of

the Holy Sepulcher and many other churches during the fourth century.

In 636 The Muslims has arrived to Jerusalem which was given to them after six months of siege.

In 1099, the participants of the first crusade has conducted Jerusalem and massacred the Muslim and the Jewish residents.

At 1099 the Christian took control of Jerusalem again.

From 1260 to 1516 Jerusalem was under the Mamluk.

At that time the status of Jerusalem as an Islamic holy city had increased.

The Mamluks built many religious buildings in the city that gave Jerusalem a total Muslim appearance.

By the year 1517 Jerusalem was occupied by the Ottoman Empire.

The Sultan Suleiman built the walls of Jerusalem and renovated the castle and the David's tower.

In 1917 Jerusalem was under the British Mandate rule that determined Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and gathered the most important government institutions in it.

Between the years 1948 to 1967 Jerusalem was divided: East Jerusalem was part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and West Jerusalem was under Israel's control.

But at June 5, 1967, the Six Day War had begun and control of the city's east side transferred to Israel.

Today, Jerusalem is one of the core issues in the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.

Jerusalem main sites

In 2010 Jerusalem was ranked at first place in the list of "best cities for trips and leisure," by the magazine "Travel + Leisure".

The western wall – (kotel) - Is one of the four retaining walls surrounding the Temple Mount from the late Second Temple period until today.

It was built by King Herod, as part of the most comprehensive renovation conducted by the Temple Mount.

There is a big significance to the Western Wall, Religious, national and historical, which brought him millions of visitors each year, Jews and non-Jewish.

The Arabs called the Western Wall as the "Wailing Wall "in the name of the cry of the Jews who came to pray there, and this was later also change in English to describe

Wall (The Wailing Wall).

Until the 19th century the Muslim tradition identified the southern wall, or the eastern wall to the Prophet Muhammad.

In the struggle over Jerusalem in the 19th century, the religious scholars copy the holy place to the Western Wall.

Visitors tend to write notes with requests to God and put them in the Western Wall.

The Western Wall Tunnel - is an underground tunnel - from different periods along the Western Wall, below the houses of the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City.

It is a Complex building from the Second Temple, the medieval and the modern time.

Mount Zion - is a mountain located in the south - west of the Old City of Jerusalem outside the walls.

There are important sites for the Judaism, Christianity and the Islam up on the mountain. There are also a battle heritage sites, museums and cemeteries.

According to the traditions of the three religions, there is a structure located on the mountain that is considering the burial place of King David.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre - Is located in a large church and it is considered by most Christian traditions as the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Since the 4th century AD the church considered one of the most important churches and the holiest in the world.

It is an important place for pilgrims from all over the world.

The church is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, at the end of "Via Dolorosa".

"Via Dolorosa" - according to Christian belief it is the route that Jesus went through and was crucified at the end of it.

It is called so because of the suffering of Jesus as he walked this way.

The Dome of the Rock – is a Muslim structure at the Temple Mount.

Dome of the Rock is the oldest Muslim building preserved without significant changes, and it is considered an architectural and artistic model.

The dome became a symbol of Palestinian Arab nationalism.

Al-Aqsa Mosque - is one of the mosques complexes, religious buildings and Muslim prayer sites on the Temple Mount.

Tours in Jerusalem must include a small shopping trip, because of the things that are unique only to the city.

The most popular markets are: Mahane Yehuda market, which is near the entrance to the city, the sultan's pool and stalls at the city center.

Accommodation

Visitors can found a wide range of accommodation options in Jerusalem.