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The Armenian Quarter – Jerusalem Old City

Situated to the right of the vibrant Christian Quarter is the secret Armenian Quarter, the most isolate of all of the quarters in the old city. The quarter goes back to the time when Armenian Christianity began and has a long history of Armenian pilgrims setting foot at its gate.

The discovery of holy sites for Christians in the city caused many of the pilgrims to become fixed residents in the Armenian Quarter. Dating back to the turn of the fourth century, when Armenia was declared as the first Christian state in the world, the Armenian Quarter developed into one of the main substances in the Christian entity of Jerusalem.

Due to wars and peregrination the Armenian populace in the old city has shrunk these days to a little under 1000. Still, this tight community lives its life in the surroundings of St. James Church, which envelopes the Armenian faith in Jerusalem and is also the residual place of the Armenian patriarchate. Unfortunately, the Armenian Quarter is far from living up to its full tourism potential. With the church and its surrounding areas closed to the public, in the quarter you can visit teh museum of the Armenian history and artwork, which is quite interesting but not easily found.

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Israel Museum, Jerusalem - Buy tickets online

Since its establishment in 1965, the Israel Museum in Jerusalem has become one of the leading institutions in Israel and one of the most important and comprehensive museums in the world. The museum features upwards of 500,000 artistic and archaeological exhibits, including the world's leading collection on archaeology from the Holy Land, Judaica and Jewish ethnography, and works of art ranging from classical to modern. The collections represent the rich history of human culture, dating back almost one million years, through modern times. The Israel Museum offers a wide range of fascinating exhibits, activities for the entire family and special events at the Shrine of the Book, a model of Jerusalem's Second Temple, activities in the Youth Department and a 24-dunam sculpture garden. This summer, museum renovations will be complete and it will feature new programs, fascinating exhibits and interesting activities. Special opening hours during the first week after reopening: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (July 26-28): 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Thursday (July 29): 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. Opening Hours Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Tuesday: 4:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Friday and Holiday Eve: 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Saturdays and Holidays: 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Get your Ticket >>

Discovering Abu Gosh: A Historic Village of Hummus, Music and Monasteries

Abu Gosh is a lovely, picturesque village located in the Judean Hills, off a winding road between Tel Avi and Jerusalem, dating back some 6,000 years. The village is situated on a mountainside and serves as a tourist attraction, drawing in many visitors. The village is particularly famous for its hummus restaurants. You may not reach the original Abu Shukri restaurant, but there are many restaurants serving authentic and particularly tasty food throughout the village, at affordable prices. Aside from the famous restaurants, twice a year – during Sukkot and Shavuot - the village holds a vocal music festival. The festival hosts choirs from across the country and around the world, which perform in the village's monasteries. The village has a number of guest houses, gift shops, candle shops and glassware stores. The atmosphere in the village is unique, as it serves as a meeting point for the three religions: Jewish Israelis and tourists from around the world visit the Muslim village in order to hear music at a Christian church. During Biblical times the village was called Kiryat Ye'arim. The Ark of the Covenant was placed there and it was a site for religious rituals. Later, during the Byzantine period, a church was built on the highest point in the village. This church was destroyed during the Persian occupation, and The Church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant - which features a large statue of the Virgin Mary - was built on its ruins. These days, nuns live in the church and twice a year, during Sukkot and Shavuot, it hosts choirs from across Israel and around the world during the vocal music festival. According to Christian belief, Abu Gosh is where Jesus appeared following his resurrection. During the Crusader period a church and stunning monastery were built in the village, which have been preserved to this day. The Benedictine Monastery is surrounded by a huge, lovely garden with ancient olive trees, an orchard and grapevines. The monastery's interior walls feature frescos that were drawn during the thirteenth century, and a spring flows from the monastery's crypt. The site also houses a ceramics and candle factory, operated by the monks. Six daily prayer sessions are held at the monastery, from 5:30 A.M.-8:30 P.M., and visitors are encouraged to visit during one of the sessions, for the unique opportunity to hear prayer songs performed in an 800-year-old church. Monastery Visiting Hours: Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday: 8:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M.-5:30 P.M.

Rockefeller Museum Jerusalem

The Rockefeller Museum is located in East Jerusalem, opposite Herod's Gate. The museum was designed by renowned British architect Austen St. Barbe Harrison in the 1930s. In his beautifully impressive architectural design, Harrison successfully merged east and west. The museum, which opened in 1938, exhibits numerous important historical findings from Jerusalem and around Israel, found mostly during the British Mandate period. Among the items on display: A collection of gold jewelry, Megiddo ivory collection, Lachish letter ostracon and decorated wooden doorposts from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The museum's exhibit halls have high ceilings, inspired by the Roman halls built around a beautiful courtyard with three different levels. Rockefeller Museum Jerusalem Address: Sultan Suleiman 27, Jerusalem (near Herod's Gate, a short drive from Safra Square, parallel to the Old City walls). Telephone: 02-628-2251

Jerusalem - one of a kind

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