Tower of David (Citadel)
located at the Jaffa Gate, within an ancient and restored fortressKing David made Jerusalem his kingdom's capital in 1003 BC. In 586 BC Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon took Jerusalem, exiled the population and destroyed the Temple. 50 years later, Babylon was conquered by the Persians and King Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to their autonomous homeland. A Second Temple was built on the site of the First.
built in 516 BC.
Alexander the Great conquered Jerusalem in 332 BC. Led by Judah Maccabee, the Jews defeated the Seleucids and rededicated the Temple in 164 BC. Jewish independence was re-established under the Hasmonean dynasty, which lasted for 100+ years, until Pompey imposed Roman rule. King Herod was installed as Judah’s ruler by the Romans and ruled 37-4 BCE. The Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099, massacred the Jews and Muslims, and established it as the Crusader Kingdom’s capital.
The sites where Jesus was crucified and the empty tomb where he was buried
Crusader rule over Jerusalem ended in 1187 when the city fell to Saladin. The Ottoman Turks ruled Jerusalem from 1517, Suleiman the Magnificent rebuilding the city walls (1537), a Sultan’s Pool and public fountains. The Turks ruled until 1917 when the British army under Gen Allenby conquered Jerusalem. From 1922-48 British authorities ruled until 1948 when the British Mandate was terminated and Israel was proclaimed.
During Covid, local authorities teamed up with big foundations to renovate the major historic Roman shopping street, The Cardo. A new outdoor archaeological exhibition was started, telling the story of the Ancient Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. See c180 unique archaeological items from this part of the Jewish Quarter, exhibits that tell the history of the communities that inhabited Jerusalem over centuries. The relics examine the lives of Jews, Christians and others; how the Jewish quarter looked in different historical eras, from Roman to Byzantine times to the Crusades.
During Covid, local authorities teamed up with big foundations to renovate the major historic Roman shopping street, The Cardo. A new outdoor archaeological exhibition was started, telling the story of the Ancient Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem. See c180 unique archaeological items from this part of the Jewish Quarter, exhibits that tell the history of the communities that inhabited Jerusalem over centuries. The relics examine the lives of Jews, Christians and others; how the Jewish quarter looked in different historical eras, from Roman to Byzantine times to the Crusades.
Workshops leased by craftsmen and merchants,
Roman-Byzantine times, c200 ADThe Cardo excavations
Church of Saint Peter
Byzantine shrine dedicated to Peter's repentance first built here in 457 AD
Normally besieged by pilgrims and tourists, the Tower of David would have been impossible to thoroughly excavate and investigate. This citadel was one of Jerusalem’s most visited sites, attracting half a million+ visitors pre-Covid. During Covid, excavation and restoration work begun in earnest in July 2020, using a $40 million budget allocated by the Tower of David Museum and Israel’s Tourism Ministry.
Tower of David Museum
The archaeological digs began in the fortress’ courtyard where Tower of David’s visitors gained greater historical understanding of the medieval past. As summarised above, the city changed hands multiple times since the First Crusade (1099) so the new excavations used modern technology to assess the historical relics of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This produced a clearer picture of the lifestyle of the various civilisations that once inhabited the area.
Byzantine shrine dedicated to Peter's repentance first built here in 457 AD
Now some practical advice. Israel was founded in 1948, with Jerusalem as capital. Religions: 75% Jewish, 18% Muslim, with 7% Christian and Druze etc. The 2022 population was 9,038,309, with Hebrew and Arabic being the official national languages while other languages, including English, are widely spoken.
Arab Souq Market
Visas are issued for c3 months, according to nationality. Some nationalities will require a visa to be issued upon arrival, so check with nearest Israel Embassy or Consulate. Travellers are responsible for ensuring that their passport is valid for the duration of their stay, and should be valid for at least 6 months after the planned travel period.
No vaccines are required for entering Israel, although certain immunisations may be recommended. Israel has excellent medical facilities, and tourists may go to all emergency departments and first-aid centres, marked by the red Star of David. But medical treatments can be expensive so medical travel insurance is recommended. Plus comprehensive travel insurance will cover possible loss of possessions, illness and injury during the holiday.
The local currency is the New Israeli Shekel at c4.0 shekels to U.S $1 exchange. ATM machines are widely available for exchanging shekels. US $s are accepted at all money changers, and at many tourist shops. Some shops do not accept credit cards, so take some USD travellers cheques and cash. Exchange shekels back to USD at any bank.
The Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset Friday until sunset Saturday when many shops and restaurants, and all banks, are closed, although ATMs are available for cash withdrawal. Due to the variety of religions in Israel, there are different shopping hours depending on the site: Muslim shops close on Fridays, Jewish shops close on Saturdays and Christian shops close on Suns. Muslim and Christian holidays are also observed by their populations. Tipping is welcomed by Israeli service providers.
Recommended clothing when visiting holy sites (churches, synagogues, Western Wall) include modestly covered shoulders and legs. Avoid very brief clothing in Jerusalem, but in Tel Aviv clothing is more relaxed, particularly near the beach. Wear casual, comfortable clothing while touring, and a solid pair of flat walking shoes. Summers can be very hot, so for sun protection have a large sunhat, sunglasses and suntan cream, and rest during the mid-day heat. The Mediterranean climate has a pleasant spring and autumn. Winters in the north can be cool while winter rain is widespread, particularly in Jerusalem.
Dome of the Rock, Islamic shrine, built 690 AD
No vaccines are required for entering Israel, although certain immunisations may be recommended. Israel has excellent medical facilities, and tourists may go to all emergency departments and first-aid centres, marked by the red Star of David. But medical treatments can be expensive so medical travel insurance is recommended. Plus comprehensive travel insurance will cover possible loss of possessions, illness and injury during the holiday.
The local currency is the New Israeli Shekel at c4.0 shekels to U.S $1 exchange. ATM machines are widely available for exchanging shekels. US $s are accepted at all money changers, and at many tourist shops. Some shops do not accept credit cards, so take some USD travellers cheques and cash. Exchange shekels back to USD at any bank.
The Jewish Sabbath begins at sunset Friday until sunset Saturday when many shops and restaurants, and all banks, are closed, although ATMs are available for cash withdrawal. Due to the variety of religions in Israel, there are different shopping hours depending on the site: Muslim shops close on Fridays, Jewish shops close on Saturdays and Christian shops close on Suns. Muslim and Christian holidays are also observed by their populations. Tipping is welcomed by Israeli service providers.
Recommended clothing when visiting holy sites (churches, synagogues, Western Wall) include modestly covered shoulders and legs. Avoid very brief clothing in Jerusalem, but in Tel Aviv clothing is more relaxed, particularly near the beach. Wear casual, comfortable clothing while touring, and a solid pair of flat walking shoes. Summers can be very hot, so for sun protection have a large sunhat, sunglasses and suntan cream, and rest during the mid-day heat. The Mediterranean climate has a pleasant spring and autumn. Winters in the north can be cool while winter rain is widespread, particularly in Jerusalem.
from where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven
Guest post by Naftali Tours,
images by Wiki
20 comments:
What a magnificent history for this ancient city. The story written here is so detailed and thorough
Very informative post on Jerusalem, with some great pictures, and...practical advice!
I have visited the Jewish sites before, but never the churches. So going with a organised tour would probably teach us more, do you agree ?
That was an interesting read. I had no idea of the exchange rate between shekels and the US$. Translating, perhaps it would be just under 3 shekels to the AU$. Let me check. Disappointingly only 2.37 shekels to AU$. Good for Israelis travelling to Australia but not good for us if we visit Israel. No matter, we are used to that.
roentare
I am a fairly decent historian, but I was overwhelmed by the number of rulers who took over Jerusalem and left their mark forever. I would have understood how desirable a major port on the Mediterranean would have been, for example, but that was never the case. Jerusalem had the most critically important religious and historical sites in the world, but the area was rocky, not good for agriculture and hard to defend.
Take your best camera, if you decide to travel to the Old City.
DUTA
I lived in Israel for 2.5 years and have visited many times since, but for this post I was totally dependent on Naftali’s writing. I didn’t even know about the restored open-air excavations of the Byzantine Cardo.
Deb
People go on their own tours to 1] save the costs associated with a professional guide and 2] be able to pace themselves according to their particular interests. But if you have never heard of St Peter’s repentance, or if you don’t know why Jesus’ tomb is empty, arrange for an English speaking guide who can patiently explain everything. Guides can make all the difference in the world.
Andrew
I wondered why the practical advice was included in a history post, but I can see why tours can be more spoiled by being unprepared for the weather, or not having local currency, than by feeling disappointed in an ancient fortress that you expected to be much more modern. Note that food was not mentioned…. I would add humus, falafel, Shakshuka, baba ghanoush, shawarma and sabich, usually bought from small cafes.
Bom sábado com muita paz e saúde. Fico feliz em dividir um pouco com vocês a beleza do meu Brasil. Minha querida amiga, Jerusalém é uma cidade que eu gostaria muito de conhecer um dia. Linda matéria, parabéns.
Helen you can find fantastic photos from the Old City in a blog called Bobo and Chichi.
https://www.boboandchichi.com/2017/05/jerusalem-old-city/
Luiz
Jerusalem is a city you would love to visit one day because it is historically and religiously important, and architecturally fascinating. Especially for a very keen photographer such as yourself. If "The Holy Land for Christian Travellers: An Illustrated Guide to Israel"
by John A Beck has been translated into Portuguese, I would warmly recommend it to you.
Joe
Many thanks. The blog post on the Old City by Bobo and Chichi is excellent, particularly the photos as you noted. Plus Jerusalem's Old City was divided into four quarters: Jewish, Christian, Armenian, and Muslim, not three religions.
The Western Wall this is one of the holiest sites in Jewish religion, as their blog noted, so I should add a photo.
I look forward to seeing the work done at David's Tower one day.
Lisa
I thought that once a person has toured the Old City in detail, there would not be much more to learn. So thanks to Naftali's post, I have now started reading current reports.
The Times of Israel wrote: The old excavations show the timeline of Jerusalem from a wall from the period of King Hezekiah during the First Temple period (800 BCE), the foundations of King Herod’s palace and water system from 2,000 years ago, Crusader-era pools and the Ottoman city walls of Jerusalem onwards. When the Tower of David Museum opened, the Western Wall Tunnels and the City of David archaeological site weren’t open yet. The task of the museum has changed, as well as its role as a monumental site of the Old City. The renewal project will double the area of the museum with the permanent exhibition area doubling.
Bom domingo de muita paz e saúde minha querida amiga. Grato pela atenção e carinho.
Luiz
With a large group of Australians, I spent my Gap Year overseas, studying with South Africans, New Zealanders, Brazilians, Argentinians and Mexicans. But that was followed back at home only by slow letters.
This year we will be having a reunion on Zoom :)
Thankyou Naftali , One day I will get there . I am always fearful of the security and conflict issues but I guess perhaps wee get a skewed image in the media.
PS I am wading through Simon Montefiore's history of Jerusalem . Its a wonderful read .I thoroughly recommend it
mem
I must say I used to feel the same way as you do about travelling to Israel, but now I would be much more scared about travelling to the USA, Peru, Brasil, Columbia, Afghanistan, Thailand etc etc. The news each night is horrible.
mem
Montefiore writes history well, yes. I thought by the time he covered Canaanites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Romans, Byzantines etc all the way until modern Israel, the reader would be exhausted. But I particularly valued his analysis of Jewish and Arab nationalism from WW1 on. Millions of Jews suffered from rising antisemitism in Eastern and Central Europe, while the Ottoman empire frustrated the Arabs. Then the Balfour Declaration, Zionist dreams, the Versailles conference and mass immigration. Great book.
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