The Old City is a 0.9-square-kilometer (0.35 sq mi) walled area within the modern city of Jerusalem. The history of the Old City has been documented in significant detail, notably in old maps of Jerusalem over the last 1,500 years. This area constituted the entire city of Jerusalem until the late 19th century; neighboring villages such as Silwan, and new Jewish neighborhood such Mishkenot Sha’ananim, later became part of the municipal boundaries. The Old City is home to several sites of key religious importance: the Temple Mount and Western Wall for Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians, and the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 1981. Traditionally, the Old City has been divided into four uneven quarters, although the current designations were introduced only in the 19th century. Today, the Old City is roughly divided (going counterclockwise from the northeastern corner) into the Muslim, Christian, Armenian, and Jewish Quarters. The Old City’s monumental defensive walls and city gates were built in 1535–1542 by the Ottoman sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent.
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Mount Zion
Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, located just outside the walls of the Old City. The term ‘Mount Zion’ was initially used in the Hebrew Bible for the City of David. (2 Samuel 5:7, 1 Chronicles 11:5; 1 Kings 8:1, 2 Chronicles 5:2) It was only later used for the Temple Mount, but its meaning shifted and is now used as the name of ancient Jerusalem’s Western Hill. In a greater sense, the term is also used for the entire Land of Israel.
Jerusalem International YMCA
The cornerstone for the Jerusalem YMCA was laid in 1928 by Lord Plumer, the British High Commissioner for Palestine. Purchased from the Greek Orthodox Church Patriarchate, the cornerstone was placed on a plot of land in the West Nikephoria section of Jerusalem. Many YMCA leaders around the world attended the opening ceremony of the building on April 18th, 1933. Every detail of the building, such as its elegant arches, domes, and towers, was described in the world press, which hailed it as a wellspring of cultural, athletic, social, and intellectual life. Until 1991, the YMCA stadium was the only soccer stadium in Jerusalem. American architect, Arthur Loomis Harmon of Shreve, Lamb, and Harmon, designed the building, which still stands today. Developers razed the stadium to make way for a luxury housing project known as King David’s Court.
Last Supper Site
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper is commemorated by Christians especially on Maundy Thursday. Furthermore, it provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as “Holy Communion” or “The Lord’s Supper”. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is the earliest known mention of the Last Supper. The four canonical Gospels all state that the Last Supper took place towards the end of the week, after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They additionally mention the shared meal between Jesus and his Apostles that took place shortly before he was crucified later that week. During the meal, Jesus predicted his betrayal by one of the Apostles present and foretells that, before the next morning, Peter will deny knowing him. The three Synoptic Gospels and the First Epistle to the Corinthians include the account of the Eucharist institution. Jesus takes bread, breaks it, and gives it to the Apostles, saying: “This is my body which is given for you.” The Gospel of John does not include this episode, but tells of Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles, giving the new commandment “to love one another as I have loved you.” They then proceed to have a detailed farewell discourse by Jesus, calling the Apostles who follow his teachings “friends and not servants”, as he prepares them for his departure. Scholars have looked to the Last Supper as the source of early Christian Eucharist traditions. Others believe Last Supper derived from the 1st-century eucharistic practice as Paul described in the mid-’50s.
Mount Scopus
Mount Scopus is a mountain located in northeast Jerusalem. Between the 1948 Arab–Israeli War and the 1967 Six-Day War, Mount Scopus was a UN-protected Israeli exclave within Jordanian-administered territory. Today, Mount Scopus lies within the municipal boundaries of the city of Jerusalem.
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem’s Old City and was named after the olive groves that once covered its slopes. The southern part of the Mount was the Silwan necropolis, attributed to the ancient Judean Kingdom. The mount has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and holds approximately 150,000 graves, making it central in the tradition of Jewish cemeteries. Several key events throughout Jesus’s life, as related in the Gospels, took place on the Mount of Olives. In the Acts of the Apostles, it is described as the place that Jesus ascended to heaven. Because of its association with both Jesus and Mary, the mount has been a Christian worship site since ancient times and is currently a major pilgrimage site for Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants. The top of the hill is occupied by At-Tur, a former village that is now a neighborhood of East Jerusalem.
Jerusalem Theater
The Jerusalem Theater (Hebrew: תאטרון ירושלים), which opened in 1971, is a center for the performing arts in Jerusalem, Israel. The complex consists of the Sherover Theater, seating 950 people, the Henry Crown Symphony Hall (home of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra), seating 750 people, the Rebecca Crown Auditorium, seating 450 people, and the Little Theater, seating 110 people. Additionally, rotating art exhibits are held in the main foyer and other locations throughout the building, while a restaurant and bookshop operate on the ground floor.
Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens (JBG) is located in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Nayot, sitting on the southeastern edge of the Givat Ram campus of Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The garden is arranged in photographic sections, featuring flora of various regions around the world. The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens opened to the public in 1985. The tropical conservatory opened in 1986, while the South African segment was planted in 1989. The Hank Greenspan Entrance Plaza, Dvorsky Visitors’ Center, and restaurant were built in 1990. The garden’s Japanese wing contains over 150 bonsai trees, the largest concentrated collection of bonsai trees in the world. Additionally, birdwatchers have identified 46 species of birds that visit the Gardens throughout the year. Photo Credit: Jerusalem Botanical Gardens
The Cardo
The Cardo was a north–south–oriented street in Roman cities, military camps, and colonies. It was an integral component of city planning, lined with shops and vendors, and served as a hub of economic life. The main cardo was called ‘Cardo Maximus’. Most Roman cities additionally contained a Decumanus Maximus, an east-west street that served as a secondary main street. Generally, the Cardo Maximus served as the primary road. However, due to varying geography, Decumanus was sometimes considered the main street, while the Cardo was considered secondary. The Forum was normally located at the intersection of the Decumanus and the Cardo. The Cardo was the “hinge” or axis of the city, derived from the same root as cardinal. The main street of Crusader Jerusalem went from Nabelus gate (St. Stephan) to Zion gate, to the Holy Seplecure area. Here, they divided the Cardo into three different markets: the covered market, the spice market, and the bad cooking market. This occurred under the reign of Queen Melisinda, who was the current Queen of Jerusalem.
Castel National Park
Castel National Park (גן לאומי קסטל) is an Israeli national park consisting of a fortified summit. It is located in the Judean Mountains in the former Arab village of Al-Qastal. It is located 8 km west of Jerusalem, connecting to a road leading to Tel Aviv (Highway 1). The site is mostly known as the place of the key battles of Operation Nachshon, which were held in April 1948 during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. Fierce battles that claimed many lives took place there as Arabs and Jews fought for control of the site, which overlooked the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway. The Castel exchanged hands several times in the course of the fighting. The tides turned when the revered Arab commander, Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, was killed. Many Arabs left their positions to attend al-Husayni’s funeral at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday, April 9th. That same day, the Castel fell to the Israeli forces, virtually unopposed. The national park includes a memorial for the Israeli soldiers who died there. In 1980, Yitzhak Yamin designed a monument to honor these fallen soldiers. Additionally, there is a memorial representing the convoys who attempted to break through the blockade of Jerusalem.
