 Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם) Travel Guide, Israel
Jerusalem, Israel
Author: Berthold Werner (public domain)
Jerusalem Travel Guide is created to help you learn more about this sacred city in Israel. In putting together this travel guide, I am listing out all the places of interest in Jerusalem, and will provide you information on how to travel within the city.
Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
Author: Chad Rosenthal (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
About Jerusalem
Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם) is the capital as well as the largest city in Israel. It has a population of 732,1000 over an area of 125.1 sq kilometers. Jerusalem is located in the Judaen Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. With a history that goes back to four thousand years BC, Jerusalem is regarded as the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual center for the Jewish people since the 10th century BC. It is also rich with ancient Christian sites and is the third holiest city in Islam.
The Old City of Jerusalem is a walled area that constituted the whole of Jerusalem until the 1860s. This Old City and its walls were proposed in 1982 by Jordan to be placed on the Unesco World Heritage Site Endangered List. It comprises four quarters, namely the Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim Quarters. The size of this Old City is small - only 0.9 square kilometers. Nevertheless, it holds most of the sites of great religious significance, including the Temple Mount and the Western Wall for Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians, and the Dome on the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for the Muslims.
Jerusalem Souq at night
Author: Hynek Moravec (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Outside the Old City is modern Jerusalem. The Arab population resides in clusters on the north, east and south of the city. Today Jerusalem continues to be a hotbed of conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians: the Palestinians regard East Jerusalem, which includes Jerusalem's Old City and the aforementioned holiest sites, as the capital of the Palestinian state while Israel regarded the "united Jerusalem" as Israel's eternal capital.
Budget Travel to Jerusalem
The main gateway to Israel is the Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV). From there, you can take a bus to Jerusalem. However, the most practical way is to get a taxi or shared taxi. Expect extremely tight security at the airport. You will have some trouble if you happen to have an Arabic sounding name.
Model of Jerusalem during the late Second Temple Period, in the Israel Museum
Author: Chris Yunker (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
Budget Travel within Jerusalem
Again, the most practical way to travel within Jerusalem is by taxi, which are plentiful. However beware of taxis that will literally take you for a ride. Insist on using the meter at all times.
Old Market entrance of Suq Aftimos, Jerusalem
Author: Rastaman3000 (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
|
Accommodation in Israel
- Look for Hotels in Israel
Helping you compare hotel room rates from different booking sites.
- Look for Hostels in Israel
Helping you find budget accommodation with online booking.
Places of Interest in Jerusalem
- Al-Aqsa Mosque
Congregational mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
- Augusta Victoria
Complex established by the German Protestant community in Palestine.
- Church of All Nations
Roman Catholic church located on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
- Church of Dominus Flevit
Church on the Mount of Olives immediately facing the Old City of Jerusalem.
- Church of St Peter in Gallicantu
Church built to commemorate Peter's triple rejection of Jesus and his subsequent remorse.
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church built on the hill where Jesus was crucified.
- Damascus Gate
Gate built in 1542 by the Ottoman ruler Suleiman the Magnificent.
- Dome of the Rock
The oldest extant Islamic building in the world, on the spot where Abraham fulfilled God's test to see if he would be willing to sacrifice his son Isaac.
- Garden Tomb
Site believed to be where Jesus Christ was buried and resurrected.
- Gethsemane
The garden where Jesus and his disciples retreated to pray after the Last Supper.
- Golden Gate of Jerusalem
The oldest of the current gates in Jerusalem's Old City Walls.
- Hagia Maria Sion Abbey (Dormition Abbey)
Benedictine abbey on the site where the Virgin Mary is believed to have passed away.
- Herod's Gate
Entrance into Old Jerusalem from the north side.
- Israel Museum
The national museum of Israel founded in 1965.
- Jaffa Gate
One of the stone gates in the historic wall of the Old City of Jerusalem.
- Lion's Gate
One of the seven gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.
- Mount of Olives
Mountain ridge to the east of Jerusalem.
- Mount Zion
Hill on the southwest part of Jerusalem
- Muristan
Maze of streets and shops in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
- Rockefeller Museum
Museum housing artifacts from excavations done since the late 19th century.
- Room of the Last Supper
Place believed to be where Jesus gathered with His disciples for a meal before He was arrested.
- Shrine of the Book
Building within the Israel Museum where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept.
- Temple Mount
The most sacred site in Judaism.
- Tomb of King David
Tomb of the Biblical king is traditionally believed to be located close to the Hagia Maria Sion Abbey
- Tower of David
Ancient citadel in the Old City of Jerusalem located near Jaffa Gate
- Wailing Wall
Jewish religious site in the Old City of Jerusalem.
- Zion Gate
One of the gates built into the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
|
|
Tweet 
