Jerusalem Things to Do Tips by jacobzoethout

Either if you are jewish or not, the Kotel (the Hebrew name for the Wailing Wall) is an impressive place. It is one of the retaining walls of the Temple Mount on which the second Jewish Temple was built by King Herod. The temple was destroyed in the year 70 by the Romans. The Kotel started to become a holy place for the jewish people in the 15th century, when the Ottoman sultan Suleyman ruled Jerusalem. Suleyman gave the jewish people officially a right to use the wall as a place of prayer.
The part of the wall that can be seen nowadays consists of 24 rows of stones; the oldest and biggest are the lowest rows. It is interesting to know that, underneath the ground there are 19 more rows of stones, which reach down to a paved road. This once was the foot of the wall.
The big square ("Western Wall Plaza") became a fact only in 1967. Before that time, there was a densely populated Arab quarter named Maghrabi in front of the Wall. There was only a small corridor between the neigborhood and the Wall, making it look bigger and more impressive then it does today. Between 1948 and 1967, Jewish people were not allowed to visit their most holy place. After the Six Days War, Israel took the Old City and the Kotel; the 14th century Maghrabi neighborhood was destroyed by the Israeli Defence Forces; the population was forced to leave, making it one of the many sad stories in the history of Jerusalem.
Nowadays, the Kotel is again the heart of the Jewish religion, and one of the main tourist attractions in the Old Town.

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Directions: In the Old City Jerusalem

A holy place for three world religions, traditionally being believed to be the place where God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, as a test of faith. Abraham is of founding importance for Jewish, Muslims and Christians.
It is the place where the historic Jewish Temples were situated; king David got the mount; his son Salomo built the first Temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians. There was a temporary temple after the jewish came back from exile but it was King Herod who built another big temple. This Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70. The Wailing Wall is a retaining wall for the Temple Mount; and the only remaining part from this period.
In Roman and early Christian times the place was not considered very important; the area was neglected. The western part of the Town, with the new Christian holy sites, became the centre of all activities.
When muslims came to power, they built two mosques on the Mount: The Dome of the Rock, which is dominating the old town with its golden dome and the Al Aksa mosque. The Dome was built in the 7th century, Al Aksa mosque in the 8th century. When the Christian Crusaders conquered Jerusalem they killed all the Muslim and Jews, and turned the Dome of the Rock into a church: The Temple of the Lord. Saladin made the Dome an islamic sanctuary again in the 12th century. The Dome was heavily renovated under the rule of the Ottoman sultan Suleyman in the 15th century.
In July 2004, it was no problem visiting the Temple Mount, though there were not many tourists. Go there early in the morning, as I heard that are the only hours it is opened for tourists. It was however inhibited to enter the mosques.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

Built on the place where Jesus was probably crusified and buried; this Church is the most holy site for Christians. In the time of Jesus, the location was outside the walls; since the early times of Christianity this is believed to be the place where it all happened. It is very probable that this place is the actual spot; the church is built around a rocky hill believed to be Golgotha / Calvary and a graveyard from the first century.
The first church on this spot was built between 326 and 335 by Constantin; when Omar conquered Jerusalem, turning Jerusalem into a muslim city, he respected the church and didn't turn it into a mosque. The church however was later destroyed by the crazy sultan Hakim in 1090. Later a new church was built, which was expanded by the crusaders. Mainly, this is todays church, though huge parts of the church were destroyed and rebuilt after a fire broke out in 1808 and an earthquake in 1927.
Many christians from different origin are attracted by this church. Inside there might be long queues in front of the grave of Jesus. Different churches, catholic and orthodox, own different parts of the church. They have so many problems in cooperating, that the keys of the church are being held by a muslim family.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

The muslim quarter is the most densely populated and the most lively quarter in the Old Town. There are many soukhs and bazaars, you can easily lose your way there. The main road is Al-Wad Road (Valley Street), heading from Damascus Gate towards the Western Wall Plaza. Another important street is the Via Dolorosa, heading from the Lions (St Stephans) Gate towards the Christian Quarter. Part of the Via Dolorosa is on Al-Wad Road. There are some interesting old buildings in the muslim quarter (for example in Al Takiyah Street), but the main thing to sea and experience here are the people and the soukhs.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

The Christian quarter developed around the spot Christ was believed to be crusified and buried. It is nowadays the most touristic part of the Old City; The most important streets in this part of the Old Town: Christian Quarter Road and David Street have lots of small tourist shops.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is in the heart of the quarter. South of the Church there is a small area called Muristan; it is a pleasant area to drink a coffee. Long ago, Muristan used to be a hospitium for pilgrims.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

The Jewish Quarter is one of the quietest parts of the Old Town. Jews used to live in this part of the town for a very long time. Before 1967, it was used as a refugee camp for Arabs. After 1967, the quarter was heavily renovated, but in a style that fits within the Old City.
Besides, the historic Cardo street can be found here, an important trading street during the Roman times. Some archelogical remains can be seen close to Jewish Quarter Road.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

The Armenian quarter is the smallest and least known quarter of Jerusalems Old City. Yet, the Armenian community was one of the first to settle in Jerusalem in the 4th Century. They have been there ever since that time. The quarter is kind of a monasteric compound between Jaffa Gate and Zion Gate; it is interesting to wander around though it doesnt offer the spectacular sights of the other quarters.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

The Via Dolorosa is the road supposed to be the way Jesus walked on his way to the crusifixion. The road leads from St Stephans Gate (Lions Gate) in the eastern part of the Old City towards the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Historians believe that the actual road must have been somewhere from the Citadel, along David Street towards the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

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Directions: Old City Jerusalem

One of my favourite things to do in the Old City is just to sit on the step in front of Damascus Gate and watch the crowd. Don't go here if you want silence; this is a place where people make lots of noise. Mainly Arabs / Palestinians cen be seen here, but there are also many tourists, religious jews, and military. Underneath the surface there is always a tension which can come above very quickly.
The gate itself has 3 names, an English name, an Arab name, and a Jewish name. The Arab name is Bab-El-Amud (Gate of the Pillar) . The jewish name is Shechem Gate. Damascus Gate is the most splendid of the gates in the 16th century walls of Jerusalem.

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Jaffa Gate is the main entrance to the Old City from Western Jerusalem. The gate was opened in the 19th century to make it possible for the German emperor to enter the city with his wagons. Inside, you find yourself next to the Citadel and at the entrance of the Christian quarter.

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