Holy Places of Jerusalem

Located about 34 km west of the Dead Sea, Jerusalem was founded in approximately 3000 B.C. While a great deal that is old can still be found here, it is now a modern city with a population of over a million people and an economy based on tourism and service industries.

Roughly 64% of the population is Jewish, 32% Muslim, and 2% Christian. Both Jews and Arab Muslims claim the city as a birthright.

Majestic walls surround the narrow cobblestone streets and ancient buildings of Jerusalem's Old City. The Old City is divided into 4 quarters: Jewish, Armenian, Christian, and Muslim. Within the walls, you will encounter numerous holy shrines and places of prayer.

The Old City’s main entrance, this stone gate was built in 1538 and leads to the Armenian and Christian quarters. Today’s modern entryway dates to an 1898 visit by Kaiser Wilhelm I, who insisted on entering the city on horseback.

The bustling urban area just outside of the Old City walls is filled with modern offerings: high-rise office towers; residential neighborhoods; shopping strips; restaurants and cafes serving diverse cuisine; art, science, and history museums; botanical gardens; and government buildings. 

This Christian church was built by Constantine I during the 4th century as a monument to Christianity's most important events. The church is believed to be located on the site where Jesus was crucified and buried.

According to the Gospel, Jesus rose from the dead 3 days after his burial. Due to Jerusalem's history of war and unrest, the church has been destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries.

Worshipers from 6 denominations of Christianity pray here. They are: Roman Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Egyptian Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syrian Orthodox. Each denomination is assigned designated areas and times for prayer.

Immediately upon entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, you will see one of Christianity's most sacred objects, the Stone of Anointing. It is illuminated from above with eight continuously burning oil lamps. The stone, which is covered with a flat, red marble plate.

This is reportedly the place where Christ's body was anointed with myrrh and aloe prior to burial. The practice of rubbing a body with oils before burial is described in the Old Testament, and is still sometimes practiced today. 

To get to the tomb, you descend a staircase whose walls are lined with crosses. Once downstairs, you will enter the Aedicule, a domed area encompassing the Chapel of the Angel and the tomb site, a tiny interior room. 

It’s been a site for Jewish pilgrimage and prayer for millennia. Between 1948 and 1967, the Wall was under Jordanian rule, and Jews were denied access to it. The Jews regained access after the Six-Day War in 1967.

In addition to daily prayers and pilgrimages to the Wall, important Jewish rituals are often conducted here. Pay attention, among worshipers, you may see a 13-year old boy having a traditional Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, or Bar Mitzvah. 

Are you male or female? Be sure to stay on the side of the Wall’s courtyard divider assigned to your gender. Orthodox Judaism precludes mixed-gender prayer and there’s an ongoing battle over women’s rights at the Wall.

Israeli lyricist Yossi Gamzu wrote the Israeli song "Ha Kotel" in 1967, to honor fallen soldiers of the Six-Day War. The lyrics make reference to the mystical qualities of the Wall with these lyrics: "There are stones with human hearts."