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 combination of the history of this culture, along with the modern civilization of Jerusalem's interesting lifestyle and people, enables tourists to relax and enjoy their vacations.
King David decided back in 1010 BC that he wanted Jerusalem to be the capital of his country, Israel. A man of war and motivation, David defeated the Jebusites and made plans to build a temple of worship in the city. The temple was actually built by David's son, Solomon, during a peaceful time in Jewish history. This temple is still a place of worship today, a landmark to the people of Israel.
After the death of King Solomon, the Israelite nation was divided into two parts due to a civil war. Jerusalem was a part of the southern kingdom of Judah, which remained until about 700 BC when the country was conquered by the Assyrians. The country of Israel managed to maintain some control of the city until about 600 BC when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon invaded Jerusalem. Zedekiah, a Jew, was placed in charge of the country, 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. They have prayed the same prayer three times per day for thousands of years, “To Jerusalem, thy city, shall we return with joy". 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. The Jews helped the Muslims defeat the Persians in about 600 AD and Islam then began to gain popularity. This opened the doors for Jews to begin to settle in Jerusalem once again. The Jews were burned alive in one of their synagogues in 1099 under the command of the pope who organized crusades.
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 then began to require huge taxes of the Jews because they were only interested in the Holy Land as a place to prosper financially. Finally, the Zionist movement allowed the Jews to return to Palestine so they could establish what is known as the first modern Jewish settlement.
In 1917, the British took control of Jerusalem and it became a part of the British Mandate. Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan in their war for independence in 1948. Jerusalem was again united in 1967 when the Jordanians were driven out of the country. 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. Visiting this modern city teeming with life, culture and history, will not leave you disappointed, regardless of where you decide to stay.
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