Jerusalem

Jerusalem 

Jerusalem, also known as Al-Quds, is a holy city for Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. It is the capital of Palestine and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a history stretching back over 5,000 years. Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known settlement in Jerusalem dates back to the 4th millennium BC.

The city has been known by many names throughout its history, including Urusalim, Aelia Capitolina, the City, Beit Al-Maqdis, and Al-Quds. Jerusalem's long and storied past provides exceptional testimony to the vanished civilizations that have occupied it, from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman period. The city has been conquered and ruled by numerous empires and dynasties, including the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader, Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods.

Jerusalem holds great significance for Christians, as it houses many holy sites associated with the life, ministry, and teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as the locations of his crucifixion, burial, and ascension to Heaven. These include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which contains the tomb of Jesus; the Via Dolorosa, the traditional route that Jesus walked to his crucifixion; the Mount of Olives, where Jesus ascended to Heaven; the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before his arrest; the Kidron Valley, which contains the Tomb of the Virgin Mary.

For Muslims, Jerusalem is considered a holy city. It is the first Qibla, or direction of prayer, and the second Haram, or sacred sanctuary, after Mecca. The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, both magnificent examples of Islamic architecture constructed in the 7th century CE, are located in Jerusalem and are the third holiest sites in Islam, after the Kaaba in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The old city of Jerusalem, with its well-preserved medieval Islamic architecture, is divided into four main quarters: the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, and the Jewish Quarter. These diverse cultures are reflected in the city's architecture, planning, sacred buildings, streets, markets, and residential areas. The Old City is surrounded by a 16th-century wall that was built under the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

In 1981, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan inscribed the old city of Jerusalem on the list of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing its global historical significance and the threats facing it.