People travel for various reasons; some would love to see the attractions the city has to offer, participate in the culture, and others go to a place for a religious encounter.
For Roman Catholics a popular tourist destination would be JERUSALEM.
Panoramic view of Jerusalem from Mount Olives (1)
UNDERSTANDING JERUSALEM
The religious importance of Jerusalem could not be understated. It is considered to be a “holy city” to the religions Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
The city is home to important ancient Christian landmarks. It is considered to be the third holiest in Islam. And it is the holiest city for Judaism since the 10th century.
But aside from its religious importance, the historical and cultural contribution of the city is amazing. For more than 3000 years, making it one of the oldest cities in the world, since its establishment it made history.
This city was the battleground between Christians and Islam during the bloody Crusade era.
The remarkable infrastructures and outstanding architecture are all worth the time to visit and see. One could spend hours or even the whole day just admiring the place.
LOCATION
Jerusalem is a city in Israel on the Plateau of Judean Mountains with an elevation of 760 meters above sea level. It is approximately 60 kilometers east of Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean Sea and 35 kilometers west of the Dead Sea.
CLIMATE
The climate in Jerusalem is generally a hot-summer Mediterranean. The country experiences a hot and dry summer during the months of June to September.
On the other hand winter happens from December to February. It is common to experience snow for a few hours before it melts; although there were records of snow lasting several days.
The months of October to May are usually rainy.
DEMOGRAPHICS
In 2011 the city of Jerusalem had a total population of more than 800,000 people. It is divided into various religions including Jews (63 percent), Muslims (35 percent), and Christians (2 percent). The remaining population have other religions or have none at all.
There are two languages spoken: Hebrew in the west and Arabic in eastern Jerusalem. But almost all could speak and understand English.
THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM
The Old City of Jerusalem (2)
The Old City of Jerusalem is a historical and spiritual center. It is a walled area which is approximately less than one square kilometer.
The walled area used to define the city limits until the late nineteenth century. The said wall was built in the late 16th century by the Ottomans as defense against invaders.
The Old City is divided into four ethnic and religious sections namely the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters.
In 1982, the site was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Nowadays, the whole city had expanded beyond the walls and that area is considered to be modern day Jerusalem.
Although there is a limited area, the Old City is home to a number of important and significant religious sites such as the following:
• Temple Mount
Temple Mount (3)
The Temple Mount is also known as the Noble Sanctuary in which key religious sites are located.
For the Jews, this is the holiest site wherein “God’s divine presence was manifested in numerous places”. They believe that Talmud was the origin of the dust used to create Adam.
They also say that the site was the binding place of Isaac by Abraham. It was also the location of Solomon’s Temple. Two more temples were said to be built in the area.
Due to all these significant encounters, they would gather and pray at the Western Wall. The Western Wall is believed to be the closest to the former Temple, thus, Jews considered it to be the holiest place. It spans a total of 488 meters of the retaining wall.
Western Wall the holiest place for the Jews
For Muslims this is the third most important site. They believed that this was the site of Muhammad’s journey to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven.
For Muslims the two important structures are: al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock. Al-Aqsa Mosque is a prayer house with distinguishing architecture features like the silver dome, façade, minbar, and minarets.
Al-Aqsa Mosque (4)
The Dome of the Rock on the other hand is one of the oldest Islamic structures. Unlike the former, this has a golden dome which makes it a famous landmark in the whole of Jerusalem.
Dome of the Rock (5)
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy Sepluchre (6)
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is also known as the Church of the Resurrection. It is located among the Christian Quarter of the Old City.
To Christians, this was the place of Calvary, the site of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial. It is one of the most important Christian pilgrimage sites.
• Cathedral of Sts James
Another Christian holy site within the Old City and at the Armenian Quarter is the Cathedral of Sts James. The cathedral was built in honor of St. James the Greater – one of the twelve apostles, and St. James the Just – brother of Jesus.
• Tower of David
Tower of David
Another important landmark is the Tower of David. The said tower is located near Jaffa Gate of the Old City. According to history, this used to be the site of King David’s palace.
Aside from being an important landmark for Christians, there were important archeologic artifacts.
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