Jerusalem

Understand

Located in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, Jerusalem is considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is the holiest city in Judaism and Christianity, having been the spiritual center of the Jewish people since the 10th century BCE, and the third-holiest in Islam. It has a history of nearly 4000 years, and has been fought over and conquered countless times in that period. While the city began to have a Jewish plurality in the late 19th century, today a wide range of national, religious, and socioeconomic groups are represented here. During the Jordanian occupation 1949-1967 all Jews in East Jerusalem were expelled and entry was barred for Israeli citizens of any faith and even today there tend to be more Muslims in east Jerusalem and more Jews in West Jerusalem. The walled area of Jerusalem, which until the 1860s formed the entire city, is now called the Old City, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. It consists of four ethnic and religious sections—the Armenian, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Quarters. Barely one square kilometer, the Old City is home to Jerusalem's most important and contested religious sites - the Western Wall and Temple Mount for Jews, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians.

Surrounding the Old City are more modern areas of Jerusalem. The civic and cultural center of modern Israel is in western Jerusalem, while Arab neighborhoods can be found in the east. Jerusalem became Israel's capital upon its independence. The city was reunited after the 1967 War when Israel captured East Jerusalem. Nowadays there is no visible sign of the pre-1967 border, but Jewish and Arab neighborhoods are still generally separate.

History

Archaeological findings show development within present-day Jerusalem as far back as the 4th millennium BCE, but the earliest written records of the city come in the Execration Texts (c. 19th century BCE) and the Amarna letters (c. 14th century BCE). According to Biblical accounts, the Jebusites (a Canaanite tribe) inhabited Jerusalem (Jebus) until c. 1000 BCE, at which point the Israelites (led by King David) conquered the city, establishing it as the capital of the Kingdom of Israel. Throughout this period, Jerusalem was located in what is now known as the "City of David", just outside the current Old City walls to the southeast, where a large natural spring is located. According to the Bible, after David died, his son Solomon built the first of two Holy Temples. The temples were north of the City of David, on a site underneath or very close to the current Dome of the Rock. Upon Solomon's death the kingdom split in two (though many historians contend that the two Israelite kingdoms were never united to begin with). The ten northern tribes became known as the Kingdom of Israel, while Jerusalem remained the capital of the southern Kingdom of Judah, ruled by David and Solomon's descendants. After the Assyrian conquest of the Kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, Jerusalem was the center of the only remaining Israelite/Jewish kingdom. In 586 BCE, the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah including Jerusalem, destroying the temple and exiling many of the inhabitants. In 538 BCE, the Persian King Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to Judah and Jerusalem. The rebuilt (Second) Temple was completed in 516 BCE. Jerusalem regained its status as capital of Judah and center of Jewish worship for nearly six centuries. Jerusalem would remain under Persian control until the conquest by Alexander when it would come under Greek (first Ptolemaic, later Seleucid) control. In the second century BCE, the Hasmonean family led a successful rebellion against the Seleucid Greek rulers of Judea, establishing an independent Jewish state which lasted over 100 years. This era is described in the deuterocanonical book of Maccabbees and an event during the recapture of Jerusalem is the basis of the celebration of Hannukkah. In about 19 BCE, Herod the Great (a Jewish client king under Roman rule) vastly expanded the temple area by building retaining walls to support a flat rectangular platform around the temple site. One of these retaining walls survives to this day as the Western Wall, and the platform survives as the Temple Mount. The Great Jewish Revolt against Roman rule broke out in 66 CE. Its failure resulted in the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. A second failed revolt (132-136 CE, led by Simon Bar Kochba) led to Jews being banned from entering Jerusalem, a policy which continued for most of the time until the Muslim conquest.

Getting there

Ben Gurion Airport

Israel's main entry point for the international traveler, 1 Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV IATA), is next to the highway linking Tel Aviv and Jerusalem (Highway 1). Travel from the airport to the center of Jerusalem takes 40–50 minutes, or more if there is traffic.

By train - A train line from the airport to Jerusalem opened in 2018. See "By train" below. By bus - Route 485 (Afikim) runs between the airport terminal and Jerusalem. As of November 2022, it only runs on late Thursday nights/Friday mornings (previously it ran 24/6 excluding Shabbat), and one can expect that the 485 will be eliminated entirely once the current train construction project finishes. The 485 runs nonstop from the airport to the Jerusalem central bus station, then makes a few more stops in the Knesset/museums area. It departs hourly, on the hour, in both directions, and costs ₪16 (you pay the driver when boarding). After getting off in Jerusalem, you can take the local bus, light rail, or taxi to your final destination. The bus stop towards the airport is on 1 220 Yafo St., just outside the central bus station, 100–150 m east of the main bus station exit. By taxi - The official Jerusalem-airport taxi price is around ₪250 during the day, ₪300 late at night. You might be able to find a driver for somewhat cheaper, but chances are they will drive recklessly. If you order in advance, companies like Daka 99 may offer rates as low as ₪160. Your taxi driver may either take Highway 1 or road 443 (which goes through the West Bank). By shuttle - The 'Nesher' shared taxi service (+972 2 623 1231 - Hebrew and English) is a 10-seat minibus that runs approximately hourly services to/from the airport, 24/7. Fare is around ₪70 one way per person. From the airport, the shuttle waits on the curb outside the Terminal 3 arrival hall - follow signage to the Jerusalem shuttle. The shuttle departs when full, and will take you to the address of your choice in Jerusalem. Going to the airport, you must reserve your seat in advance by phone. Be on time for the pickup — they don't wait. Nesher is known for rude customer service, and for a long nauseating ride as the other 9 passengers are dropped off at their addresses before you (you always seem to be last!). Keep in mind that it is quicker, more comfortable, and usually cheaper to take the 485 bus, and a local taxi between the bus station and your hotel. Notes:

Some Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem are seen as "no go zones" by Israeli Jews, and some taxi drivers, including shared taxis, may hesitate or even refuse to take you to these destinations. You should understand that it is only because they genuinely fear for their own safety. If you have a hard time finding a taxi to East Jerusalem, take a taxi from the airport to the Jerusalem central bus station, and there switch to a local taxi. Taxi drivers, including shared taxis, have been known to overcharge or shortchange, so check the price before boarding, and check your change when it is handed back to you. Buses and trains do not run from Friday after 4 PM to 8 PM on Saturday. Taxis and the Nesher shuttle operate, but might charge you extra due to Shabbat time. If you see Atarot Airport on old maps, it is a small airport 11 kilometers (7 miles) north of the Old City, which has not been used for international flights since the Six-Day War, and has been closed since 2001 and is about to be demolished.

Getting around

Getting around Jerusalem used to be tricky, time-consuming, and frustrating as the terrain and age of the city left clogged roads unable to handle modern population numbers. The building of the light rail line has mitigated this but where the light rail doesn't go the going may still be slow.

By taxi

Cabs are plentiful in the city of gold. You can probably flag one down quickly by walking to the nearest busy street. Just in case this doesn't work, it is good to have the number of a cab company ready, or to install the Gett smartphone app. Be warned as the drivers may try to rip you off by "taking the scenic route" or charging a fixed price instead of on the meter. Insist that the driver turns on the meter (moneh) and you should have no problems. If the driver will not activate the meter, get out and take a different one. If you have the meter on, cabs are relatively cheap. Note that a private taxi is called "moneet" in Hebrew, and "taxi" by Arabs. Both differ from the shared taxi ("sherut" or "servees"), which runs fixed routes for many people like a bus. However, unlike buses sherut do not take rav-kav.

By car

Driving a car in Jerusalem is not recommended. In the central areas (roughly between the Central Bus Station and the Old City), the main streets are mostly reserved for public transportation, and the streets cars can go on are narrow and very confusing to navigate. Then, when you reach your destination, there will be no place to park your car. Elsewhere in the city, it is easy to drive, but still hard to find parking. If you can't use public transportation, taxis are probably a better option than cars. If you insist on visiting the Old City by car, park in the Karta garage in Mamilla, close to Jaffa Gate. Only Old City residents are allowed to drive into the Old City.

See

Jerusalem has an amazing array of attractions for the traveler to see. The following are some of the must-sees. For more attractions see individual district articles.

Old City

The Old City is the atmospheric historical core of Jerusalem, surrounded by Ottoman period walls, filled with sites of massive religious significance and a bustling approach to life. (Please note that some sites, particularly Islamic ones, may bar members of other religions from entry or praying on the grounds.) The most iconic site in Jerusalem is the Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary, which is holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam. Jews all around the world usually face the Temple Mount when they pray. It is crowned by the magnificent gold-and-blue Dome of the Rock, which stands on the site of the ancient Jewish Temples. It also includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque (The Far Mosque), from where the Muslim prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven.

The Western Wall (Jewish) is a retaining wall of the Temple Mount, built 2000 years ago. It is the closest place Jews can go to the site of the Temple, so for hundreds of years it has been a destination for prayer, and for placing notes with prayers in the cracks between the wall's stones. Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Christian). At the end of the Via Dolorosa (Way of the sorrows) in the Christian quarter of the Old City. It is the holiest site in the world for Christians. The first church on the site was built by Queen Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, the Holy Sepulchre is Jerusalem's number 1 site for Christian pilgrims and is consequently horribly crowded. Expect to queue for an hour or more to enter the tiny tomb chamber. The Jewish Quarter was completely re-built in 1969 after it came under Israeli control in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It still holds many ancient masterpieces such as the Hezekiah's wall (700 BCE), Burnt House (70 CE), Cardo (550 CE), and Western Wall. At the Western Wall plaza you will find The Western Wall Tunnel and the Chain of Generations center. The nearby archaeological park Davidson Centre (the Ophel) is also interesting. Inside the quarter are The Hurba Synagogue, the largest synagogue in the old city, and The Herodian Quarter museum. Via Dolorosa - passing through Bethesda (crusader church and Roman excavations), Franciscan Archaeological Museum and Les Seurs de Sion Monastery with its underground Roman Street Damascus Gate is the most elaborate gate. The vegetable market borders it. It is also near Jaafar, a renowned Jerusalem sweets store. Just outside Damascus Gate you can visit the Rockefeller Archaeological Museum as well as The Garden Tomb and The Tomb of the Kings Murestan Square with the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer The Armenian Cathedral and Museum Maronite Church

Do

Ramparts Walk - view the city from atop of the Old City walls. There are two different routes: the northern route starts from inside the old city by the Jaffa gate and circles the Christian quarter and the Muslim quarter. The southern route starts from outside the Jaffa gate and circles the Armenian quarter and the Jewish quarter. Western Wall Tunnels is a tour that is well worth your time. The guides there are well versed in the history of the wall and the explanation of the first two temples and the subsequent construction of the Dome of the Rock will create a great picture of the conflict between relevant cultures. Reservations are recommended, but individual walk-ins can sometimes be squeezed in. The City of David water tunnels tour is interesting. It is located down the road from the Dung Gate (near the Western Wall), follow the signs. The tour lasts around 2 hours and starts with a description of the City of David. It culminates in a 25 minute walk through the water channel cut to bring fresh water into Jerusalem from a nearby spring. Sandals and a torch are required! The water is ankle deep for most of the tour. Mahane Yehuda is the main outdoor market of West Jerusalem. Large, loud, and labyrinthine, the market boasts a huge number of stalls, generally open Sunday to Thursday 08:00-20:00, and F 08:00-15:00, closed Shabbat. Fresh produce, pastries, spices, salads abound. Definitely the place for a bargain and a unique insight into traditional Israeli culture. When the shops close in the evening, the night life opens up - in the last few years the Shuk has become a destination for bars, restaurants, and music at night. Jerusalem is an amazing city for children and children's events. Each museum runs special child programs during the summer including Recycle workshops at the Israel Museum, Costumed tours of the Bible Lands Museum and the Museum of the Underground Prisoner. The Jerusalem Theater has a full schedule of children's theater and even opera. For a full list of children's events and attractions see www.funinjerusalem.com For teens there is mini golf, segway tours, bowling, go karting, extreme sports, carpentry workshop and Kad V'Chomer (paint your own ceramics). Fun In Jerusalem also has a full list of swimming pools open to the public which come in handy during the hot summer months. The Jerusalem Trail

Tours

Free Walking Tours run by Sandeman's New Europe Tours start at the Jaffa gate and run twice every day. They visit all four quarters of the old city, and are an excellent way to get a first impression of the old city. The guides can be easily recognized by their red shirts and expect a tip at the end of the tour. Jerusalem Segway Tours. Ride a Segway around Jerusalem's historic sites while receiving a guided tour of the city's history. No Segway experience necessary. Eco Israel Tours, ☏ +973 433 3322, +973 54-723-4973, gemma@ecoisraeltours.com. For people interested in the environment this tour offers visitors to Israel the opportunity to head off the beaten-path and to experience a side of Israel rarely seen by visitors and students. They expose groups first-hand to Israel’s natural beauty, as well as its living, breathing culture of innovation. Despite its challenges, Israel is a global leader in green solutions to environmental problems. Eco Israel Tours provides an interactive, dynamic experience of this exciting world within Israel by exploring contemporary challenges and solution such as water and energy. For more information or to sign up for a tour, contact Yonatan Neril, Eco Israel Tours director. Jerusalem Studies Tour. Tours are provided every week by the Al-Quds University Center for Jerusalem Studies. Including tours of the Old City settlements, Ramparts and the tunnels. Tour guides are academics and historians who focus on the Palestinian perspective.

Events

Lights in Jerusalem Festival. While the Old City walls always look dramatic, they look even more spectacular for one week each June, when artists from around the world come and illuminate the Old City with their creations. Every year this festival is more popular, and involves more of the Old City, than the year before. Hutzot HaYotzer - International Arts and Crafts Festival. A large fair featuring hundreds of artists and artisans displaying and selling their works, as well as performances, concerts, and other events. Held for two weeks each August, in the Sultan's Pool just west of the Old City. Jerusalem March. Takes place during Sukkot each year, when thousands of marchers from around the world come to express their love for Jerusalem. Jerusalem International Oud Festival. A series of concerts on the oud (a classic Middle Eastern instrument), held every year around October–November. Palm Sunday. A reenactment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Participants gather at the Church of Bethpage and descend the Mount of Olives, singing hymns and bearing palm fronds.

Shopping

If shopping in the Old City's markets, where almost anything can be found, be prepared to haggle. You will find beautiful and unique gifts here including jewelry, bed covers, statues, and spices, as well as more touristy goods like T-shirts with memorably funny designs. For Judaica, the Old City's Jewish Quarter, Mea Shearim (dress modestly), Ben Yehudah St, and Emek Refaim are good places to look. The new city center, around the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall, is a great place to buy things and just hang out. The Mamilla pedestrian mall just outside Jaffa Gate is a picturesque place to walk, and has a good selection of upscale international clothing stores.

Eat

Jerusalem, being a multicultural city, has food from all countries, cultures and tastes. Besides the ubiquitous falafel stands, there is European, Ethiopian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern food. There is also a large range of prices, from the ritzy Mamilla and Emek Refaim, to falafel stands surrounding Machaneh Yehuda and the Central Bus Station. A good rule of thumb is to look for restaurants filled with Hebrew or Arabic speaking locals. For falafel, the busiest place is probably the best, because falafel balls become less tasty the longer they are waiting out of the deep fryer. If you keep kosher, Jerusalem is a wonderful place to visit. In the Jewish sections of the city almost everything is kosher. However you should still check for the kashrut certificate on the wall. If you don't see it and the staff cannot show it to you, it's a good sign to move along. The certificate is stamped בשרי ("basari", meat) or חלבי ("halavi", dairy). The current Jerusalem certificates are cream colored for normal certification, light purple for stricter certification ("mehuderet"), and marbled brown colored for strictest supervision ("mehadrin"). Certificates are valid for 6 or 12 months at a time (typically until Pesach or Rosh Hashana) with the expiration date prominently marked. Note it is not unusual for it to take a few days to get the new certificate up. In Haredi areas, the municipal kashrut certificate may be missing, but a certificate from a local Haredi organization will be provided. Also note that only some branches of McDonald's in Jerusalem are kosher. Kosher branches have yellow arches on a blue background, rather than the usual red background. Despite its name, the "Jerusalem artichoke" has no connection to Jerusalem, and you won't find it used more widely here than elsewhere. However, there is an authentic Jerusalem food - the Jerusalem mixed grill (me'orav yerushalmi), which was invented in the 1960s at one of the steakhouses near the Mahaneh Yehuda market and has since spread widely across Israel. It consists of a mixture of spicy grilled meat chunks including chicken breasts, hearts, and livers, and pieces of lamb. Nowadays you can get it as fast food wrapped in pita or laffa bread, or as a main course in sit-down restaurants. One famous place is Steakiyat Hatzot, Agrippas street; check out the photos on the wall.

Drink

Most of the nightclubs and bars are in West Jerusalem, mostly in the city center or Talpiyot district. Consult the district article for specifics. If you are looking for alcohol stores, there is one right by the Jaffa gate and several on Jaffa Rd. One of the stores by the Generali building (located on the right side on Jaffa when you're facing the building) stocks a wide variety of different beers and also has great prices, lower than that of other stores.

Sleep

The Old City has a diverse mix of small hotels, religious hospices and cheap hostels. The cheapest accommodation is found here. West Jerusalem has a blend of B&Bs, guesthouses, small hotels and large hotels up to 5-star accommodation, including the famous King David Hotel, which is worth visiting for its architecture even if you don't stay there. East Jerusalem contains a similar mix.

Go next

One of the three Arab bus stations near Damascus gate will serve the Palestinian city you want to go to next. If you are heading towards an Israeli city in the west, start at the CBS in West Jerusalem. See above.

Abu Gosh Bethlehem – The Biblical birthplace of Jesus and hometown of David, surrounded by Mar Saba Monastery and Herodium (Herodion) Park. Ramallah – Not so exciting, but a good starting point going further north in the West Bank. De facto seat of government of the Palestinian authority. Nablus – One of the oldest cities in the world and famous for its kunafa/knafeh. If you are on a tight schedule and planning to go to Ramallah, you might want to skip the latter for this more exciting Palestinian city. Jericho – One of the oldest settlements in the world and the Middle East, and a great starting point for Kalya Beach at the Dead Sea, which is famous in the region. Tel Aviv – A big and the most cosmopolitan city in Israel, well known for its club culture. There are direct shared taxis to King Hussein "Allenby" Bridge for Jordan, for ₪38 plus ₪4 per luggage – pick up from Al-Souq Al-Tijaree "The commercial souq" not far away from the main bus station. Regarding visa regulation see Palestinian territories#Go next.

More pictures of Jerusalem

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.