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| Thread: Travellog - Jerusalem | |
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GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted December 22, 2008 04:07 PM |
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Travellog - Jerusalem
Hello everyone, I know it's uncommon to see me posting, especially such of a long post. I felt that I should try and do something nice for HC. A long time ago I talked to an Esperantist that wanted to visit Jerusalem, and a short time before it, I had had an excellent trip in there. I decided to make a post about that trip. I started writing shortly after the trip (it was in August), and in the last few days, due to the end of the tests and Hanuka vacation, I managed to accomplish it!
The trip lasted only a few hours, but there's so much to cover in Jerusalem, that this is only a half of it, and probably only a hundredth of the things that you can see in Jerusalem.
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Inspired by Azagal's work about his areas, I've reached a decision to write something about a completely different place: Jerusalem. The 4000 years old holy city, the place that people from all over the world come to see. Jerusalem is the holiest place of the Christians and the Jews, and the third holiest place for the Muslims. People have prayed towards in for 2 thousand years, which is about 4000 years old.
So where is the magic of the city?
Jerusalem of Gold
"The mountain air is clear as wine
And the scent of pines
Is carried on the breeze of twilight
With the sound of bells
And in the slumber of tree and stone
Captured in its dream
The city that sits solitary
And in its midst is a wall"
Jerusalem of gold, and of bronze, and of light
Behold I am a violin for all your songs.
Jerusalem of Gold was written in 1967, after Israel has conquered the entire city in the 6-days war.
The view of the ancient city, from the Mount of Scouts.
This post is going to be about the ancient city.
The ancient city (aka 'the old city') is only a tiny part of the entire Jerusalem, but probably the most interesting one. All the scared sites are in that area, which its size is 1 square kilometer. On this dense area live 25,000 people (there are 746,000 people in the entire Jerusalem).
The ancient city is divided into 4 quarters: Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Armenian. In the eastern part of the ancient city, there is the Temple Mount, which is a different kind of area, and isn't populated at all.
A map of the ancient city:
Before I start:
When? Since Jerusalem is a bit more cold than the rest of Israel, it's good in every season. While many Europeans/Americans have a hard time adjusting to the hot weather in Israel, most say that weather-wise they feel great in Jerusalem. It's the prettiest at evenings, in sunsets, so it's better to start the trip in the noon and end it in the evening.
What do you need to take with you? A trip in Jerusalem doesn't require a big traveler bag. You can come with basically nothing, I would recommend a camera and a few Shekels (50 will be quite enough, it's about 10 Euros) - the local food is very cheap and tasty, and some things (like entering the wall of Jerusalem cost a few Shekels. Never shop with Dollars/Euros/Any foreign coin; the local shopkeepers will make the prices much higher, especially for you! By the way, always argue for the price. Once I bought there in 20 shekels a thing that at first was offered for 80.
The trip itself:
The ancient city is surrounded by the walls of Jerusalem. They have been built, destroyed, and rebuilt a several times, and what we can see today is the walls that were built in the 16th centuary by the Turkish Sultan Suliman, who ruled the area in those times.
The wall near David Tower.
The wall near the Temple Mount.
The wall has many gates. 7 of the gates are opened, and a few are blocked. The most famous blocked gate is the Gate of Mercy (or Gate of Gold). According to the tradition it will be opened when the Massiah comes.
We'll our travel from Jaffa gate, on the western side of the ancient city. Jaffa gate is probably the most active one nowadays, and the main entrance to the ancient city. It's built in a way that you have to turn left in your way in, what makes it slightly harder for attackers - they can be ambushed more easily.
Jaffa Gate
We will enter about 20 meters into the city. There's a moat between the fortified Tower of David and the street. The moat is empty, it's hard to gather water in those high areas, and even harder in a dry country like Israel. Since ancient ages, water for drinking was brought to Jerusalem from Israel's coastal plane, and there isn't enough to feel up a moat. It works well empty, too.
The Tower of David was a fortress that was used to defend Jerusalem in the medieval age and afterwards. Today it's a museum. Very nice one, I visited it once when I was young. It is named after David, but it was built many years after he died. David himself lives in a different area of Jerusalem (the original Jerusalem), named the city of David, which is not in the ancient city, but not far away. I'll tell about it in different opportunity.
The view of the Tower of David.
This picture appeared on my Bar-Mitzva invitation. 
Now we will step back and go to the walls. It costs a few Shekels (I think it's 20 Shekels, which is about 4 Euros). Then you can walk on the walls and enjoy the beautiful view of entire Jerusalem.
On the western side of the walls you can see the view of the neighborhoods of Jerusalem, and the big hotels behind them. Hehe.
Mishkenot Sha'ananim, the first neighborhood that was built outside of the walls of the ancient city. It was built in the 19th century, and then it was very poor, and suffered of many cases of steeling and robbing. Today it's the one of the richest neighborhood, the houses there are very expensive and some artists live there. Its symbol is the Moses Montefiore Windmill.
On the inner side, we can see the Armenian quarter. It's the smallest one, and it seems very quiet, almost looks abandoned. There are many churches, chapels and monasteries there, which look quite old and ugly. There are 2300 people in the Armenian quarters. The Armenians of the quarter had been very religious Christians, until 20,000 refugees from the Armenian Genocide managed to escape and reach Jerusalem, in the beginning of the 20th century.
Between the quarter and the wall there is a charming vineyard, a few empty zones (that's where my map of Jerusalem fell from my hand, because of the wind on the wall, and I couldn't get it anymore), and even a dump.
As we keep going, we reach the southern part. There are some Armenian graveyards under it. Many crosses on them. I stopped there for a minute. That cemetery seemed to be so sad. Unfortunately I forgot taking a photo, and couldn't find any photo on the internet as well.
After it there are many Christian buildings, which are outside of the walls, but very pretty, indeed.
Pretty Christian churches (the most impressive of all is the Church of Holy Sepulchre. We'll get to it later).
As we walk towards the Temple Mount, we can see in the Jewish quarter. There are 6000 Jews there, all of them are very religious, some of them don't even speak Hebrew (only Yiddish), because they believe that the holy language of the bible shouldn't be spoken daily, only on prayers and blesses. The view of the Jewish quarter contains many synagogues and Talmudic colleges (Yeshivas). Buildings were built around them, terraced according to the shape of the mountain. I stepped inside a bit. There are almost no streets for cars, only passages for walking, and many stairs. Those passages have been renovated a few years ago and they look pretty from the inside.
There are no markets in the Jewish quarter, unlike the markets all over the Chrisitian and the Muslim quarers.
The Jewish quarter. On the upper left corner you can see a Chrisitian chapel behind the wall.
There is a way to decent from the walls, and we take it. We walk on the street, outside of the Jewish quarter, towards the Temple mountain. As we walk, the Dome of the Rock sparkles in our eyes.
Walking down the hill, we finally can reach the most sacred areas for the Jews and the Muslims. There's a large gate from which you can go either to the square of the Western Wall or to walk in a special bridge built by archeologists to the Temple mount (Muslims go there through the gates from ancient city to the Temple mount). The large gates lead to the Western Wall and there's a narrow path from the right that leads to the bridge. At any case you will pass a security check.
We will walk first to the closer place - the Western Wall. We pass through the large gates.
You stand in the gigantic square, looking in front of you. There is a huge stone wall, with brick in different sizes, and amongst them some bushes have grown with the years.
There are too separated areas, for women and men. Choose your side, if you're a men, take a Kippa and put it on your head (it's not polite to walk to that holy place without a Kippa, it's better to put it even if you're not a Jew).
That wall was the Western Wall of the Temple of Solomon. The Temple was in the exact location of the Dome of the Rock (The Dome was built over the Temple's ruins), and it had four walls. The one which survived throughout all the years without being harmed almost it all is the western one, and therefore it's saint for the Jews.
According to the Jewish faith, if you put a note in the walls cracks, God will read it. So the tradition is to write a wish and put it there.
Find a pen and a piece of paper, and write a note. Even if you don't believe in it - it's a fun thing to do. Write in whatever language you want. Once I put a note in English.  Don't remember why.
The Western Wall. I have no idea how they took this picture, there are usually many people there at any time...
Now go back to the gate, and go to the narrow path on the right. There might be a line (probably full of tourists, as I said, the Muslims don't have to use this passage).
You're about to enter the Temple Mount. It's not a rough climbing in that bridge, like going up a small hill.
Nobody there will tell you this:
INSTRUCTIONS in Temple Mount
Don't enter if it's Friday. The Muslims pray at Friday and tens of thousand of Muslims will be occupying the area.
You better not look Jewish. If you have a Kippa on your head from the Western Wall, take it off, don't speak in Hebrew, don't shout or do anything draw any unnecessary attention.
The Temple Mount. Closer to you is the Dome of the Rock and further is the Al-Aktza Mosque.
Walk in and you'll see the a HUGE plaza, with many trees and a fountain with sinks in its midst. It's higher in 50 meters from the areas around it.
The plaza of the Dome of the Rock is slightly higher, you'll have to walk on some stairs in order to get to it. It has no trees on it.
There's so much to tell about the Al-Aktza Mosque. I'll say it very shortly, saying that it's the 3rd holiest place in the world for the Muslims (it's A LOT holier than the Dome of the Rock). It's the place where according to the faith of the Muslims, Muhamad finished the Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem on his horse, and flew to the sky. The Mosque was built in at least 679, perhaps a bit before. It's dome is made of Aluminum.
Al-Aktza Mosque in 1982.
Al-Aktza Mosque today, less clean, I have no idea why. BTW, the Dome of the Gold should also get brushed, too.
The Dome of the Rock (aka Mosque of Omar) is as holy as just every other Mosque in the world, and it's holiness is not even close to the holiness of the Al-Aktza Mosque, which is on the other side of the Temple Mountain. The Dome of the Rock is mainly a pretty building.
Dome of the Rock.
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In the night.
When it snows (this happens very rarely - you're lucky if you get to see it).
Do not enter the Al-Aktza Mosque or Dome of the Rock by yourself. If you find an organized group of tourists that enter the buildings, you can go with them, but never by yourself, it might be dangerous. All the instructions that I gave about are twice stronger inside those buildings.
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The trip is only half finished. The most interesting parts of the continuance are the walking in the ancient city and the Church of Holy Sepulchre. I don't know if I ever get to write them, let's hope. Enjoy!
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Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
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posted December 22, 2008 04:57 PM |
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Cool!
Maybe there should be one about Antwerp too
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Coincidence? I think not!!!!
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zamfir
Promising
Supreme Hero
Allez allez allez
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posted December 22, 2008 05:06 PM |
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That's very interesting. I always wanted to visit Jerusalem.
I'll do it someday.
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5 Times TV
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razor5
Famous Hero
Freezing...
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posted December 22, 2008 05:19 PM |
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Very nice Travellog,GL,I aslo want very much to visit Jerusalem.I know is a very famous city from the time of Crusades and called by the catholics a part of the Holy Land,and I think were very much battle between the European Crusaders and Arabians.
I also like very much the Dome of the Rock Can you tell me how it looks from inside,please
Anyway,welcome back!
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted December 22, 2008 05:32 PM |
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Asheera
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Elite Assassin
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posted December 22, 2008 05:44 PM |
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Very nice guide 
Nice to see you posting
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razor5
Famous Hero
Freezing...
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posted December 22, 2008 05:53 PM |
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Quote:
QP-worthy.
Seconded (I'm sure GL worked much for this guide)
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zamfir
Promising
Supreme Hero
Allez allez allez
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posted December 22, 2008 06:00 PM |
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kipshasz
Undefeatable Hero
Elvin's Darkside
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posted December 22, 2008 06:22 PM |
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QP worthy it is. I learned quite much from this guide. Thanks GL.
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"Kip is the Gavin McInnes of HC" - Salamandre
"Ashan to the Trashcan", "I got PTSD from H7. " - LizardWarrior
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del_diablo
Legendary Hero
Manifest
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posted December 22, 2008 06:24 PM |
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Indeed a QP should be received 
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GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted December 22, 2008 07:44 PM |
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@Lexxan: Yes, I heard that it's a very interesting artistic city...
@Zamfir: "One day, or another, I'm gonna get you..." 
@razor5: Actually, I AM Jewish, so it wouldn't be a smart thing for me to walk into the Dome of the Rock. Imagine that everyone pray and I have no idea what to do or what to say, and hundreds may be watching me.
Therefore, I can't tell you how the Dome of the Gold looks from the inside. But my mom can.
In her first degree, she also learned History of Arts, and her lecturer took her class to the Dome of the Rock, for an artistic tour (it was more calm back then). She says it's amazing in there, I asked for her description. I'll post it tomorrow.
Edit:
It has a shape of octagon, with huge columns around the dome. There are carpets on the floor, mosaics on the walls, mainly of palm trees. The palm tree symbolize heaven for the Muslims (usually, in the desert, palm trees are found around Oasis, around water). It is a beautiful building.
@Kipshasz: Glad that you learned from it.
@Mvass, Asheera, del_diablo: Thank you!
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william
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
LummoxLewis
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posted December 24, 2008 01:51 PM |
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QP or not, it's a cool post. I've never really wanted to visit Jerusalem, and I still don't, but the Guide is well done.
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~Ticking away the moments that
make up a dull day, Fritter and
waste the hours in an off-hand
way~
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