Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the holy city. The historic city. The photogenic city. For thousands of years, the land now known as Jerusalem has been the core of Abrahamic religion. Even beyond the religious sentiments of the city, Jerusalem remains one of the oldest inhabited cities in the globe. Settled first as a city around 3000 years ago, Jerusalem has made itself relevant throughout history, from Jesus’ crucifixion, to the Crusades to the World Wars.
While modern Jerusalem has expanded from its historic core, the Old City still remains through a cycle of destruction and rebuilding. The Old City presents one of the most historically significant travel experiences anywhere on earth. The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into 4 quarters– the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian (named after the first country to adopt Christianity). Each quarter has something unique to offer visitors. The Jewish Quarter contains the Western Wall and its plaza, the holiest place for Jews. The Christian Quarter contains the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the location of Jesus’ crucifixion. The Muslim Quarter contains the Temple Mount and via Dolorosa while the Armenian Quarter contains numerous churches and Orthodox monasteries.
In addition to walking the historic streets of the Old City, visiting the Western Wall Tunnels and the Ramparts Walks provide 2 unique perspectives on the Old City. The Western Wall Tunnels foundation offers 2 tour routes along excavated tunnels revealing the past history of the Western Wall. Both tours give a unique perspective on the Wall’s history and its importance for thousands of years. The Ramparts Walk tickets give access to the trails on the Old City ramparts (the walls surrounding the city). Navigating the trail allows you to get an aerial view around 70% of the city. In addition, multiple access points allow you to explore points within the city in between walking around the ramparts.
Aside from being within the Old City walls, Jerusalem has many more points of interest. Some of these include– Machane Yehuda: the city’s street market, the Israel Museum: one of the only places on earth to see authentic Dead Sea Scrolls and the City of David: the excavation site of one of the oldest portions of the Old City.
After spending at least a full day exploring the old city, getting a sunset/sunrise view of all of historic Jerusalem is moving. The Haas Promenade and Mount of Olives afford this opportunity.
Haas Promenade
The Haas Promenade is best for sunset views of the city. Getting to the promenade is quite simple with multiple buses or taxi services making the journey up Jerusalem’s Southern slopes. Make sure to get there with a decent buffer before sunrise to watch the lights turn off in the Old City. Throughout the night, the Western Wall and Temple Mount are lit, giving gorgeous views as the morning blues hit.
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is the premier spot for a Jerusalem sunset, giving the ultimate scenic and historic experience. Taking the “1” bus and getting off at the Lion’s Gate, or walking from the Jewish Quarter around the Temple Mount, gets you to the start of the uphill climb. After walking up past the Tomb of the Virgin Mary and Gethsemane, and continuing up towards the Seven Arches Hotel, one will be greeted by the most spectacular view in the country. The ancient Mount of Olives cemetery overlooking the Dome of the Rock and Modern Jerusalem is one of the most interesting compositions available for photography. The cemetery at the Mount of Olives is the most significant cemetery in the Jewish religion and houses the burial sites of many prominent religious figures. The sunset provides an otherworldly backdrop to such a historic scene.
Jerusalem remains my favorite city in the world. The history, culture and beauty is unmatched. Any opportunity to capture the significance of the city, or any chance to explore something unique in the city, was always special to me. After spending a total of almost 14 days in Jerusalem, I still feel like there are so many stones left unturned.