The Old City of Jerusalem is exactly the place that can be safely considered the "navel of the Earth." This is the corner of the planet where all roads lead to. Tourists flock here to enjoy the sights of one of the most ancient cities in the world. Crowds of pilgrims come here to touch with their own hands, to see with their own eyes the origins of three world religions at once. Even atheists want to look at the majestic buildings, near the walls of which turning points in the history of mankind took place. People come to the capital of Israel looking for inspiration, wanting to learn something new, to be treated by the luminaries of medicine. Resting on one of the three seas that wash the shores of the country, people still visit the capital.
A bit of history
The Old City of Jerusalem today covers an area of slightly less than one square kilometer. This is part of the Israeli capital, in which most of the attractions are concentrated. Facethe historical heart of the city was formed from ancient times to the sixteenth century. He is an example of a brilliant synthesis of cultures, traditions, worldviews that coexist peacefully under the blue sky.
In ancient times, the Israeli capital, the "City of the World", as it is called, has experienced many disasters. Wars, fires, destruction, separation, flourishing and active development alternated one after another. But he certainly recovered like a Phoenix: sixteen destructions and seventeen restorations on his account. And you can be sure that he will rise from the ruins and the eighteenth time, if such a misfortune occurs again. He passed from hand to hand until he returned to his original owners. And now Jerusalem is an adornment of the Jewish state. And every person can visit it to see its splendor and bow before it.
Centre for Mainstream Religions
Jerusalem is truly unique! The old city, a photo of which can be found in our article, attracts Christians of various denominations, Muslims and Jews. It is on the territory of this Middle Eastern city that the main shrines of the three dominant religions of the world are located. If you remember, then their origins are the same and they are associated with the names of the prophets mentioned in the holy books. The characters are the same - the forefathers Abraham and Moses, whose footsteps you can walk through the ancient Jerusalem quarters. Of course, the Bible, Torah and Koran pronounce their names differently, but the essence remains the same. The city is associated with such legendary figures as the kingDavid and Solomon, Herod, Jesus, Mohammed, Virgin Mary. Temples, monasteries, cathedrals testify that Jerusalem is the most worshiped place on earth.
Main attractions of the perfect city
The Old City of Jerusalem is probably the only settlement in the world that has more than seven dozen names. One of them - Shalem - means in Hebrew "perfect, complete." Indeed, there is not a single flaw in it. Built primarily of yellowish stone, it appears golden in sunlight.
The city is full of attractions and each of them has its own history. Some of the best known include:
- Dome of the Rock. The mosque with a golden dome with a diameter of twenty meters is visible from every corner of the city and is its hallmark. This is not an active shrine, this is the place where, according to legend, the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. It is a revered place for Muslims.
- The Wailing Wall is the greatest shrine of the Jews. This is all that remains of the Second Temple, destroyed by the Romans. Rather, these are the remains of a fortress wall built by order of Herod. But to this day, believers come here to pray to God and ask him for mercy. It is said that a note with a wish placed in a slot in the Wall will surely bring happiness to the petitioner.
- Church of the Holy Sepulcher, erected on the site of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. This place is a pilgrimage center for all Christians.
- Al-Aqsa Mosque - the third most important point of worshipfor Muslims after Mecca and Medina. Covered with a gray dome, it is considered to be the "remote place" mentioned in the Koran.
Bible Paths
Jerusalem is the old city. Its sights can be viewed endlessly, and it takes more than one hour to describe. In addition to the above-mentioned shrines of millions of people on the planet, it is worth visiting other important places. For example, it is worth walking along Via Dolorosa and repeating the Way of the Cross of Jesus Christ to Golgotha with all the stops. It is located in the Muslim quarter of the city. What else attracts travelers to Israel? The Old City of Jerusalem invites you to take a walk in the shade of the Garden of Gethsemane, climb the sacred Mount Zion, pray at the tomb of Our Lady on the Mount of Shrovetide, walk through the territory of the "Land of Blood", bought for the very three dozen pieces of silver paid to Judas for betrayal.
Other places of interest
The biblical zoo is also worth a visit, which may have been sung in a song about the city of gold. How not to remember the city of David, where the history of the city began, his grave. Here, every pebble has a meaning for humanity, every building is imbued with the spirit of greatness and the presence of the Lord. The legendary quarry of King Solomon is not to be missed. The narrow entrance of the cave leads to a spacious quarry, which extends under the old quarters of Shalem. The history of the city can be studied in the tower or citadel of David, within the walls of which the museum is located.
Museums
There are a lot of museums in Jerusalem, the exhibits of which can be studiedthe history of not only the country, the nation, but also the world. The most famous is Yad Vashem, a monumental memorial of national importance. In addition to it, the city has the Bloomfield Science Museum, a museum of prisoners of the underground, nature, Israel, Herzl, Bible countries, archeology, Islamic art.
Jerusalem: gates of the old city
Like any ancient city, it has Shalem and gates, which served not only as an entrance and exit, but also as a barrier for conquerors. Eight gates with their own name lead to the historical part of Jerusalem.
- Shchemsky, Columned or Damascus gates are the most beautiful and rich. They were erected during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent. Through them, the traveler will enter the Muslim quarter, travelers from Shechem and Damascus passed through them.
- Jaffa Gate is the busiest, because it is more convenient to start a tour of the City of Peace from it. It was from them that the road to the main Mediterranean port, Jaffa, began.
- Through the Zion Gate the tourist will get to the Jewish quarter. Although they were built by the same Suleiman the Magnificent, they are also called the Gates of King David (the grave of this monarch is located nearby).
- Flower Gate, Sleepwalker's Gate or Herod's Gate is a gloomy building leading to the Muslim quarter and the ancient cemetery.
- Dung or Garbage gates were previously used to take garbage to a landfill. Located in the Muslim quarter, they are the smallest. At first, they looked like an opening in the fortress wall, and later they were expanded to today'ssizes.
- The Gethsemane Gate is also called the Lion's, Sheep's, Stephen's and Virgin Mary's Gates. They are turned towards Jericho and it was through them, according to legend, that Jesus entered the city before his execution. The Via Dolorosa begins here, and the tomb of the Virgin Mary is nearby.
- Hamid Gate was built only at the end of the nineteenth century for the comfort of numerous pilgrims. They lead to the Christian quarter of Jerusalem from the side of the modern city.
- The Golden Gate (Answer or Mercy) has been walled up for many years: in Judaism, the coming of the Messiah is expected from here, so Sultan Suleiman the Great ordered to block his path in this way. The Arabs also purposely built a cemetery here, which is considered an unclean place by the Jews. According to legend, it was this gate that served as the entrance to Jerusalem for Jesus when he rode into the city on a donkey.
Quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem
The modern historical part of Shalem is divided into four quarters. The largest is Muslim. It is inhabited by Arabs who trade in everything in the world, and the main shrines of Islam are concentrated here, and the Way of the Cross of Christ passes through it. The Christian Quarter dates back to the 4th century AD. On its territory there are numerous temples, monasteries, hostels. The main shrine of the quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The smallest quarter is the Armenian one. On its territory, it is worth visiting the Cathedral of St. James - the center of the community in the country. Residents of the quarter are mainly engaged in craftsand creative work, but tourists are not very fond of here. The Jewish quarter of the Old City is the most visited. Here is the very Western Wall, part of the ancient Roman Cardo street, synagogues and museums. The scheme of the old city of Jerusalem in Russian (see below) will help the traveler to navigate and not get lost in the ancient settlement.
Instead of afterword
Everyone, without exception, is accepted by Jerusalem, the historical heart of which is especially carefully protected by UNESCO. This is the only place on earth that has a special color, charm, unique atmosphere, which is not found anywhere else. Therefore, every person is obliged to visit the old city of Jerusalem, regardless of his religion or skin color.
