What most people think of as the Kotel today is only a portion of the 2,000-year-old western retaining wall of the Second Temple in Jerusalem’s Old City. Lying beneath and to the west of the visible, above-ground Kotel is an underground complex that brings ancient Jerusalem alive. Immediately after Israel’s victory in the Six Day […]
The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew as Har HaBayit, is perhaps the most important site in Israel. Arguably the most revered piece of real estate anywhere, it is the holiest site in the world for Jews and the third holiest for Muslims. The Temple Mount, tourists can access via the Mughrabi Gate near the Western […]
The Jewish Quarter The amount of Jewish history concentrated into the 14,000 square yards of Jerusalem’s Jewish Quarter is simply astonishing. There is so much to see in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, often referred to as simply “the Rova,” that it can easily take a few days to get one’s fill. Here […]
One particularly memorable way of getting a bird’s eye view of the Old City of Jerusalem is to walk along the narrow stone paths along the tops of its outer walls. Referred to as the Ramparts Walk, on this path you can traverse the Old City from above, taking in the rooftops, domes and spires […]
An iconic structure and a must-visit Jerusalem attraction, the Tower of David Museum is located just inside the Jaffa Gate entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City. The museum aims to help its visitors better understand the 4,000 year-long history of Jerusalem and the significance of the Holy City to the world’s three major monotheistic religions. Located […]
The Temple Institute is an educational organization located just above the Yehudah HaLevy stairs leading from the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City down towards the Western Wall Plaza. Two previous Holy Temples stood on the Temple Mount, and Jewish tradition teaches that a third and permanent Holy Temple will eventually be rebuilt at the […]
In Israel, history and archaeology are present at every turn. An amazing place to experience this is the City of David, just outside the Old City of Jerusalem. Visit the remains of King David’s palace, a 2,000-year-old ritual bath, and much more. Walk in the footsteps of biblical heroes through water tunnels built to bring water into […]
Visitors to the Holy Land usually start with a trip to the Kotel, also known as the Wailing Wall or Western Wall. The Kotel is the last remaining wall of the Temple Mount, upon which the Jewish Temple stood in antiquity. Since the Temple Mount itself is mostly off-limits to Jews, the Kotel is […]
Where is King David buried? Archaeologists may never find the answer to that question, but that has not stopped thousands of pilgrims, worshipers and tourists from visiting the sarcophagus on Mount Zion traditionally thought to hold the famous king’s remains. The tomb is located in a thousand-year old building and is always surrounded by Jews […]
While you’re in Jerusalem visit the Kidron Valley, located between the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives. Here you will find the oldest graves of the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, including Zechariah’s Tomb (a First Temple priest), the Tomb of the Sons of Hezir (a Second Temple priest family) and Absalom’s […]
Tzidikiyahu’s Cave, a limestone quarry also known as Solomon’s Quarries and Tzidikiyahu’s Grotto, is located underneath the Muslim Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City. The cave runs the length of five city blocks and was created over several thousand years. It is considered the largest quarry in Jerusalem, as it once went from Jeremiah’s Grotto and […]
The Isaac Kaplan Old Yishuv Court Museum is located in the center of the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City. This 16th century building houses the complete story of the daily lives of the Jewish community during the Ottoman rule of the region until the end of the British Mandate period and formation of the […]
Katros House – The Burnt House The Burnt House belonged to the priestly Katros family which was burnt to the ground by the Romans in 70 CE during the destruction of the Second Temple, and excavated in the 1970’s. The museum consists of rooms unearthed beneath the streets of the Jewish Quarter and houses many […]
The Four Sephardic Synagogues One of the Old City sites you don’t want to miss during the Jerusalem leg of your trip to Israel is the building which houses the Four Sephardic Synagogues. The synagogues were built at different times beginning in the 17th century, and they adjoin each other. These community centers played a […]
The Hurva Synagogue The Hurva Synagogue is today known as a center for World Jewry. First built in the early eighteenth century, it was destroyed only a few years later and laid in ruins for over a century. In 1864, the synagogue was rebuilt and was known as the primary Ashkenazi synagogue in Jerusalem. However, […]
A visit to the Jerusalem Archaeological Park in the Old City provides opportunities to walk in the footsteps of ancient ancestors. With ancient picturesque plazas, the Southern Wall’s holy excavations and the Davidson Center’s virtual displays, the Jerusalem Archaeological Park certainly qualifies as a must-see. Stroll through the archaeological ruins to soak up the atmosphere […]
