Sightseeing in Jerusalem

Overview

Sightseeing in Jerusalem can be an intense experience.  This is not the kind of city that you walk around carelessly in, gawking at temples, churches, and architecture.  To treat the city as a tourist attraction is to be blind to its incredible significance.  In fact, the Jewish people say it best when they say, you “ascend” to Jerusalem – you never just visit it. 

Temple Mount

Referred to as Har Habayit by the Jews and Haram Sharif by the Moslems, the Temple Mount has huge religious significance for both religions. In Judaism, this site marks the birthplace of Adam, the rock on which Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac, and the location of the first Jewish Temple.  Moslems honor Temple Mount as the point from which Prophet Mohammed ascended into heaven.  

When the Moslems came, they built a gold-domed shrine over the black rock, and now, glass partitions prevent constant chipping by enthusiastic pilgrims who wish to hake a piece of the blessed rock home. The Dome of the Rock, its glittering edifice visible from all over the city, is even more spectacular from the inside.   

Other features of the Temple Mount include the Al Aqsa Mosque (the oldest mosque in Israel) and the Islamic Museum. 

Western Wall

The last remaining wall of the Second Temple passes along one side of the Temple Mount, and remains one of the most revered spots in the Jewish faith.  It’s also the most visited site in all of Israel, making it a “must” on every medical tourism itinerary.  After the Six day War, authorities expanded the Plaza, and it can now accommodate tens of thousands of worshippers.  For some extra divine munificence on your medical tourism holiday, slip a paper with a wish into one of the cracks in between the gold colored bricks. Famous worshippers here include Pope John Paul II, who prayed for forgiveness for Jewish persecution, and the Dalai Lama. 

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The holiest of Christian sites in Jerusalem, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is believed to be the place where Christ was crucified and then resurrected.  It also contains the Angel Chapel where Christ reportedly revealed himself to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection. The Complex has been divided into several sections, each under the control of a Christian denomination Church. 

Yad Vashem