Jerusalem Travel - Sights -Things To See

The Temple Mount is also known in history as Mount Zion, Mount of the Lord and Mount Moriah. This is the holiest site in Judaism and third holiest in Islam, the history and beliefs about this area are too much for me to try to understand what the heck is going on there.

Old Jerusalem

Inside the walls and many gates to Old Jerusalem you find the Christian, Jewish and Arab Quarters. It is amazing how you can walk from one into the other only one street away and feel like you just moved to another country. The Old City is full of narrow streets and alleys not much different from Christs time. You can actually walk the route believed to be where Jesus carried the cross, from Pontius Pilates Judgment Hall.

Holy Sepulcher Church

Located in the Christian Quarter, most churches believe this is the place of Jesus crucifixion and burial. Inside the church built 300 AD, 6 major religions all worship and argue over control of the church. I thought the place was really bizarre especially as we waited in line to stick our hand into a hole in a rock thought to hold the cross of Jesus when crucified.

The Temple Mount

Dome of the Rock

Wailing Wall/ Western Wall

Golgotha, the place of a skull

On the Temple Mount is the Islamic shrine Dome of the Rock. It was finished in 691. It covers a rock that Islam believes is the spot where Muhammad ascended to Heaven. Judaism believes this area is the holiest spot on earth, the site of the Holy of Holies.

Located in the Jewish Quarter, Orthodox Jews believe this is the sole remnant of the Holy Temple. It is the closest permitted sight to the holiest spot in Judaism, the Foundation Stone under the Temple Mount.

The New Testament states that Jesus was crucified outside the walls. The second wall was standing at that time so why would the location be at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher inside the city? Scripture states in Golgotha which means the place of a skull. More likely the crucifixion took place in the north end of the city outside the walls, near a quarry with caves that look skull-like. The skulls are still obvious when we were there.

The Garden Tomb

Mount of Olives

Near this quarry is the Garden Tomb where many including myself believe Christ was buried. We were able to visit the sight before it opened to the public and even had a chance to spend some time inside the tomb.

Overlooking Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives, a hillside completely covered in gravesites. Graves up to 3,000 years old all have their feet all pointing toward the Temple Mount. Most Jewish graves around the world point to there as well.

Garden of Gethsemane

At the base of the Mount of Olives is the area known as Gethsemane (meaning winepress or olive press). There are several churches there, olive trees still exist here from the time of Christ on the grounds of the Catholic Church.

Israel Museum

This is the best place in the country to see artifacts and antiquities all the way back to prehistoric man. A special exhibit also displays many of the Dead Sea scrolls