The story of the City of David began over 3,000 years ago, when King David left the city of Hebron for a small hilltop city known as Jerusalem, establishing it as the unified capital of the tribes of Israel. Today, the story of the City of David continues.Deep underground, the City of David is revealing some of the most exciting archeological finds of the ancient world. While above ground, the city is a vibrant center of activity with a visitor's center that welcomes visitors for an exciting tour to the site where much of the Bible was written.
The Tower of David Museum is the museum of the History of Jerusalem and is located in the medieval citadel known as the Tower of David, near the Jaffa Gate, the historic entrance to the Old City. The Citadel itself is a fascinating archaeological site. The finds uncovered within are a testimony to Jerusalem’s eventful past and produce a representation of Jerusalem and its various historical periods in microcosm.
The Temple Mount (Hebrew: Har haBayit) or Noble Sanctuary (Arabic: Haram esh-Sharif) is an elevated plateau in the Old City of Jerusalem rich with history and religious importance, sacred to Jews, Muslims and Christians. Originally, it was the site of the great Temple of Jerusalem, the holiest place in Judaism. For Muslims, it is the site of the Prophet Muhammad's journey to heaven described in the Qur'an. Finally, Christians revere it as a place frequently visited by Jesus and some believe it will play a major role in end-time events.
The Kotel is the last remnant of our Temple and the most significant site in the world for the Jewish people.Traditionally, creation of the world began from the Foundation Stone at the peak of Mount Moriah, know later as Temple Mount, here is also where Adam, the first human, was created, and many important events took place on. What makes the Western Wall (and not one of the other three remaining support walls) the most special is its proximity to the location of the Holy of Holies in the Temple.
System of underground tunnels constituting a continuous chain of history from the times of the Hasmoneans until today. There are dynamic illustrative resources at the place, such as models and animation films.
The Herodian Quarter – The Wohl Museum of Archeology is a six-house compound, situated on the slope of the hill facing the Temple Mount. The exhibit focuses on three houses: The Western House, the Middle Complex and the Palatial Mansion. These were apparently the homes of aristocratic families during the Herodian period, probably Temple priests and their families. The homes were designed in the Hellenistic/Roman style popular at the time.
Located in the Old City, The Temple Institute is dedicated to every aspect of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, and the central role it fulfilled, and will once again fulfill, in the spiritual wellbeing of both Israel and all the nations of the world.
Built over 150 years ago by Sir Moses Montefiore, Mishkenot Shaannanim became the first Jewish residential area outside the Old City walls. Its name, Mishkenot Shaannanim, or peaceful dwellings, emanates from the words of prophet Isaiah: “And my people shall abide in a peaceable habitation, and in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
The Center’s museum is an experiential, multimedia exhibit telling the story of one of the most important chapters in the history of the State of Israel through the life of Menachem Begin, from his childhood in Poland, his years as the commander of the Irgun, the leader of the Opposition and finally, as Prime Minister of the State of Israel.
The old train station in Jerusalem, one of the city's historic landmarks, comes to life and retakes its place as one of the city's most popular cultural and recreational areas. The First Station offers visitors an unparalleled experience, thanks to its exceptional location at the crossroad between Jerusalem's Old City and its modern neighborhoods; nestled amongst the most popular Jerusalem hotels along with the historical neighborhoods and adjacent to the city's finest cultural establishments and recreational locations.
A memorial established on the Jordanian military post, with a permanent exhibition on the battle over Jerusalem during the Six-Day War, as well an audiovisual program, "The Battle over Jerusalem.
The new Supreme Court building was dedicated on November 10, 1992.Several important factors were taken into consideration during the planning stage. The site of the building would be in Kiryat David Ben Gurion, adjacent to both the Knesset, the legislative branch of government and the executive branch of government; the building would integrate post-modern architectural elements, reflecting Jerusalem’s rich architectural history; the building would express values of justice, law and righteousness, drawing inspiration from biblical metaphor.
The Knesset is the unicameral national legislature of Israel and one of Jerusalem's most emblematic sites. The term is derived from the ancient Great Assembly or Great Synagogue, which according to Jewish tradition was an assembly of 120 scribes, sages, and prophets.
The Israel Museum is the largest cultural institution in Israel and is ranked among the world’s leading art and archaeology museums. The Museum houses encyclopedic collections, including works dating from prehistory to the present day, in its Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Jewish Art and Life Wings, and features the most extensive holdings of biblical and Holy Land archaeology in the world. Among the highlights of the Museum’s original campus is the Shrine of the Book, which houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest biblical manuscripts in the world, and the Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Period, which reconstructs the topography and architectural character of the city as it was prior to its destruction by the Romans in 66 CE.
The Herzl Center was built on the 100th anniversary of Herzl’s death, in order to depict the impact and power his activities had on our contemporary reality, and is a unique educational center that offers a hands-on encounter with the Zionist Movement and its founder, Binyamin Zeev (Theodor) Herzl.
Yad Vashem is the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Nazi Holocaust, and is dedicated to documenting the story of the six million victims and imparting their legacy for future generations. A visit to Yad Vashem includes the Valley of the Communities, a memorial to entire communities erased during WWII, and the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations, a tribute to those who took extraordinary risks to try and protect and rescue Jews during the Holocaust.
Nestled in the terraced hills southwest of Jerusalem is the village of Ein Karem. Ein Karem, so close to the city and yet with such a different atmosphere, is also a great draw for Israeli visitors, whom you’ll find strolling along the lanes with you, exploring the churches, browsing the little shops, savoring a cup of coffee or a meal, and just like you, enjoying a perfect interlude.
The magnificent, world-famous stained-glass windows, designed by Marc Chagall and representing the twelve sons of Jacob, were installed in the synagogue of the new Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem in 1962 and are approximately eleven feet high and eight feet wide.
Forty-five minutes southwest of Jerusalem, visitors to Israel can experience one of the country's most tightly held secrets: the Valley of Ellah. The area is one of the hotspots of Israeli viniculture, and among other attractions is Beit Guvrin, with its impressive bell-shaped caves and underground chambers, and Beit Jamal Monastery, with its remains of a mosaic from a 5th-century Byzantine church.
The Yad Lashiryon Memorial at Latrun is the Armored Corps’ Memorial Site. The site’s uniqueness is rooted in its place in history, it was the site of the Biblical battles of Joshua Bin-Nun against the Amorite kings; the site of Judah the Maccabi’s battle against the army of Antiochus and his commander Gorgias, and during War of Independence the 7th Division - the second armored division to be set up during the War of Independence - fought here to open the way through to besieged Jerusalem.
