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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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Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The holiest Christian shrine in the world is situated on the Hill of Golgotha (skull hill), used to be an execution location outside the city walls. According to Christian gospels, and with compatibility to archeological discoveries, this is the real site of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection. The beautiful architecture of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a combination of Crusader, Byzantine and Greek structures. In addition, five Christian communities share the Church today: the Roman Catholic, the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian, the Coptic and the Syrian Orthodox, each has its own part inside the church. The Holy Sepulchre History: In 335 AD, Constantin, the Emperor of Byzantium, and his mother, Helena, built a splendid church on the exact site where the massive excavations they ran revealed the tomb of Jesus. The church was completely destroyed by Caliph El-Hakim in 1009, partly reconstructed by the Byzantines in 1042, and entirely rebuilt by the Crusaders when they entered Jerusalem on July 15, 1099. However, a big fire in 1808 caused a lot of damaged to the church, which had been repaired by the Greek Orthodox during the last century. The architecture of the church as it exists today is therefore a combination of Crusader, Byzantine and Greek structures. Information: Visitors of all religions are requested to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre modestly dressed. The church is open daily from 5:00am to 9:00pm (4:00am to 8:00pm at wintertime), admission is free. The church can be reached from Jaffa Gate, through the Christian Quarter St., or from the Lions Gate following Jesus' footsteps along the Via Doloroza. Virtual Tours of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The Old City of Jerusalem

The Holiest City on Earth, surrounded by glorious walls, the Old City of Jerusalem (Yerushalayim in Hebrew, El-Quds in Arabic) is the highlight of the city, and the actual place where the mythologies of Judaism, Christianity and Islam occurred. Within its lively narrow alleys and colorful markets lie the major historical and religious sites of the world's three main religions, revealing the ancient history from the times of King David, Jesus Christ and Prophet Muhammad. It is the Dome of the Rock at the Temple Mount, the third holiest Muslim site, from where Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven on his Night Journey. The same spot, known as Mount Moriah, is where God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac, and on which King Solomon chose to build the First Temple. This is where the Western Wall, last remains of the Second Temple and most sacred Jewish site in the world, stands today. Not far from there lies the holiest Christian site, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, held to be the location of Jesus' crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Israel from Joe Robinson on Vimeo. The Old City is divided into four quarters - the Jewish Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter and the Armenian Quarter - each one comprises its own special shrines. Walking around the streets of the Old City you will not see any distinct separation between the four parts, but you might notice the cultural and architectural differences between them.

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

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