Jerusalem SightSeeing- best tourist attractions in Jerusalem

[Tours to Israel]

 If you love travelling and sightseeing and you have never been to Jerusalem, maybe it’s high time you paid this beautiful city a visit. Jerusalem has so many places to see and people visit the city because it has a lot of historical and spiritual significance. Because there are so many places to visit in Jerusalem, it is best to hire a tour guide who will offer private tours in Jerusalem. Also, because of the number of tourists who visit this city and the number of tourist attractions there, you will find that there are a lot of tour guides of Jerusalem to choose from. The tour guides are well-versed in the history of the city and they can take you wherever you want to go.

 

The history of Jerusalem

 

Before discussing the various tourist attractions, it is best to understand a little bit of the city’s history. Basically, this city is the capital city of Israel. In fact, it is the largest city in that nation. Over the years, there have been conflicts surrounding this city as the Palestinian people claim that this city belongs to them. Being a holy city, it is home to 3 religions which are Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It is also a very old city, one of the oldest in the world. This big city is divided into a number of districts. There is what is known as the Old City.

 

This is a small ancient city which boasts of many holy sites for the Christians, Jews and Muslims. There is also West Jerusalem. This is also referred to as New Jerusalem and it is basically the modern commercial part of the city. On the eastern part of the city is East Jerusalem. About 200, 000 Jews live there. There is also the district of Me’a Shearim. This area is occupied mostly by ultra-Orthodox Jews. The German Colony on the other hand has the trendiest restaurants and the Ein Kerem district has a village atmosphere.

 

Jerusalem Tourism

 

As mentioned before, Jerusalem has dozens of tourist attractions and you can be assured that a trip to Jerusalem will be an unforgettable experience. Here are some of the popular attractions;

 

The Israel Museum

 

This is the biggest museum in the country. It has a lot of significant items including the Shrine of the book. This is where you will find the Dead Sea scrolls. In the museum, you will also find a replica of the city as it was in ancient times. There are many archeology and art sections which tourists will enjoy.

 

The Garden Tomb

 

This is located in East Jerusalem, on the Nablus Road. This is believed to be the tomb where Jesus was buried. The tomb is in a big verdant garden. You can only visit the place in the afternoon.

 

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

 

This is located in the Old City and it is considered to be the most holy Christian place in the world. Queen Helena was the one who built the first church there. She was Emperor Constantine’s mother. Christian Pilgrims are known to visit the Holy Sepulchre on a frequent basis, such that it’s always very crowded.

 

The Temple Mount

 

This is also situated in the Old City district. It is significant to Jews and Muslims. To the Muslim population, this is the third most significant spot in Jerusalem. To the Jewish, it is the most important site. It clearly reflects Islamic architecture from the Umayyad times to the Ottoman era.

 

The Al-Aqsa Mosque

 

Also referred to as the Far Mosque, this is where Prophet Mohammad is said to have ascended to heaven. So this is an important site for the Muslim population.

 

Qubbat Al-Sakhra

 

Also known as the Dome of the Rock, it is one of the most popular landmarks in Jerusalem. It features a golden dome as well as octagonal walls which are blue in color. The walls have Koran verses written in Arabic calligraphy.

 

The above mentioned attractions are only some of the popular places found in the city of Jerusalem. With the assistance of a tour operator, visitors can see lots of other significant and beautiful places.