Jerusalem, A Unique City of Captivating Culture and History
Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is one of the most amazing cities in the world. Surrounded by a history of various cultures throughout thousands of years, Jerusalem remains a chief site of the three major religions in the world today. This unique city has been sought after by kings and countries for centuries. Perhaps this helps explain why Jerusalem remains one of the most interesting and relaxing vacation spots in the world. The history of its culture takes one into a world of what “was” and the stresses of everyday life seem to melt away while soaking in the current civilization of Jerusalem’s interesting lifestyle and people.
King David decided back in 1010 BC that he wanted Jerusalem to be the capital of his country, Israel. David, a man of war and independence, took over the Jebusites and began to make plans to build a place of worship in the great city. His son, Solomon, deemed the wisest man in the entire world, actually built the temple during a peaceful time in Jewish history. This temple is still a place of worship today, a landmark to the people of Israel.
Due to a civil war, the Israelite nation was divided into two parts after the death of King Solomon. Jerusalem remained a part of the southern kingdom of Judah until nearly 700 BC when the Assyrians conquered the country. The country of Israel managed to maintain some control of the city until about 600 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem. He put Zedekiah, a Jew, in charge, but only as a puppet ruler. Zedekiah refused to comply and finally, eighteen months later, Nebuchadnezzar leveled the city of Jerusalem and deported most of the population to Babylon.
There were many similar battles that took place in Jerusalem’s history until the Roman army, under King Herod’s rule, took control of the city. Herod rebuilt the second Great Temple and doubled the size of the original Temple Mount, surrounding it with great protective walls. The wall on the western side is the longest and is the area where the Jews still meet to pray. “To Jerusalem, thy city, shall we return with joy” has been the prayer of the Jews for thousands of years. This wall is considered the holiest place in Judaism and it still exists today as the last wall of the Jewish temple.
For the next several hundred years, the Romans maintained control of the country. Islam began to rise in 600 AD and the Jews joined with the Muslims to defeat the Persians. This opened the doors for Jews to begin to settle in Jerusalem once again. However, in 1099, the pope unified crusades to kill all the Jews by burning them alive in one of their synagogues.
There were other wars and crusades that took place and at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the Ottoman Turks began to take over Jerusalem. They were only interested in the Holy Land as a place to prosper financially, thus, they began to require huge taxes of the Jews. The first modern Jewish settlement was established after the Zionist movement allowed the Jews to return to Palestine.
In 1917, the British took control of Jerusalem and it became a part of the British Mandate. Their war for independence in 1948 divided Jerusalem between Israel and Jordan. Finally in 1967, the Jordanians were driven out of the country and Jerusalem was again united under Israeli rule. Regardless of the issues the Israelites have faced, they remain unanimous in the fact that Jerusalem must always remain the undivided capital of Israel.
Although Jerusalem has had her difficult times, she remains one of the most interesting and diverse cities in the world. The Old City of Jerusalem, with its four walls, is now surrounded by modern Jerusalem. There are holy sites such as the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, where Jews still gather to pray, and the Al Aqsa Mosque, which is considered the third holiest site for Islam. There are multiple places that will be of interest to tourists by providing hours of entertainment and education.
Other interesting places to visit include the Mount of Olives and the West Wall Tunnels, where there are regular tours. Yad Avshalom, believed to be the tomb of Absalom, King David’s son, and Zedekiah’s Cave are both sites worth visiting. Mount Zion is of great interest to tourists, as this is the location where Jesus partook of the Last Supper with his disciples.
You will be able to enjoy a relaxing, carefree vacation at one of the comfortable hotels in the area. There are hotels in Israel of every size and price range to meet the needs of tourists. Dead Sea hotels are plentiful as well, where you will find luxury rooms, spas and accessibility to all your traveling needs – just 30 minutes away from Jerusalem. Finding a Jerusalem hotel is not difficult and you will find that there are hotels in every location – in the midst of the bustling metro or inside the old city. Wherever you decide to stay, you will not be disappointed as you discover a modern city abounding with culture, history and life.