JERUSALEM

INTRODUCTION

• Jerusalem is the capital of Israel
• Population of about 693,200
• One of the oldest cities in the world
• Considered holy to three major religions
• Destroyed twice
• Attacked 52 times
• Captured and recaptured 44 times

THE OLD CITY

• 0.9 kilometers of walled area within the modern city of Jerusalem
• Traditionally, the Old City has been divided into four uneven quarters
• The Old City’s monumental defensive walls and city gates were built in the years 1535-1542 by the Turkish
• Jerusalem’s oldest fragment of writing was found outside the Old City’s walls

POLITICS

• After Israel took control of East Jerusalem and the Old City in 1967, the Knesset established Jerusalem as a single city under Israel’s administration
• The citizens of Jerusalem elects a 31-member Municipal Council for a five year term
• The citizens elect the city's mayor for a four year term

SITES AND ATTRACTIONS

WESTERN WALL

• Ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem
• Alternative name- Wailing Wall
• 62 feet tall
• Made as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple by Herod the Great
• Considered holy because of its connection to the Temple Mount
• Founded in 19BCE- mid 1st century CE

THE GARDEN TOMB

• Rock-cut tomb in Jerusalem
• Unearthed in 1867
• Considered to be the site of the burial and resurrection of Jesus
• Also known as Skull Hill
• Since 1894 the Garden Tomb has been maintained as a place of worship

DOME OF THE ROCK

• Shrine located on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem
• Completed in 691 CE
• One of the oldest works of Islamic architecture
• Called “Jerusalem’s most recognizable landmark”
• Located near the Western Wall

ISRAEL MUSEUM

• Founded in 1965 as Israel’s national museum
• On a hill in the Givat Ram neighborhood in Jerusalem
• Located near Bible Lands Museum, the Knesset, Israeli Supreme Court, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• About 800,000 visitors a year

TOMB OF THE KINGS

• Collection of rock cut tombs in East Jerusalem
• Believed to be the burial site of Queen Helene of Adiabene
• 820 meters north of Jerusalem’s Old City walls

RELIGION IN JERUSALEM

JEWISH

• Two Jewish temples were built
• The Kings Saul, David, and others led their ancient kingdom until about 2000 years ago
• Only one holy site, where the temples were built
• Both temples were destroyed(Greek and Roman empires)
• Only the Western Wall of the second temple remains intact
• It is a place where many Jewish people come to pray

CHRISTIAN

• Jesus walked, preached, ate his last supper, captured, crucified, resurrected, and ascended to heaven
• Via Dolorosa and Church of the Holy Sepulchre(church built around Jesus’s tomb)

MUSLIM

• Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven after his night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem
• Dome of the Rock
• Third holiest site for Islam

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• "Old City (Jerusalem)." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. . Website
• "History of Jerusalem: Timeline for the History of Jerusalem." Timeline for the History of Jerusalem (4500 BCE-Present). N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. .
• "Western Wall." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. .
• "The Garden Tomb." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. .
• "Dome of the Rock." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2016. . Website
• "Tombs of the Kings (Jerusalem)." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. .
• "Israel Museum." - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2016. .

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