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Via Dolorosa

Jerusalem travel guide

The Via Dolorosa, or the Way of Sorrows, is believed to be the route that Jesus took on his way to his crucifixion. This route marks the 14 stations in the Way of the Cross, from the first station where Jesus was condemned to death by Pilate, to the last station where he was laid in the Holy Sepulchre.

These stations follow the order of events that is mentioned in the gospels. The last five stations are located inside the church itself and signalize the stations of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. The first eight stations are marked along the street, which goes up from the Muslim Quarter, near the Lions Gate, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre at the Christian Quarter.

Information:

Visitors can join the official prayer procession every Friday afternoon, which goes along the Via Dolorosa, from the first station and up to the Holy Sepulchre. The Christian Information Center, located at the Old City, can provide further information regarding Christian sites, Tel: 972-2-6272692.

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Jewish Quarter - Old City Jerusalem

Dating back to the days of the Turkish reign over Israel, the old city has been parted into four sections, each representing its habitants; The Jewish quarter, the Armenian quarter, the Christian quarter and the Muslim quarter. Although the Jewish Quarter is considered to be the oldest quarter in the city, dating back to the days of the bible, in terms of the architecture found in the quarter, it is considered to be the newest quarter of the four. Besides being the second smallest section in the city, most of the houses that can be found in the quarter, date back to only the 1960’s and 1970’s. During the war of independence, the quarter, that knew prosperous times during the Turkish regime, was attacked fiercely by the Jordanian forces. With only several young Palmach defenders and without any food or water, the quarter quickly found itself cut off from the rest of Jerusalem and Israel, in foreign hands. The Jordanian troops wiped out most of the Jewish houses leaving only one synagogue standing and causing the Jews of the quarter to seek refuge outside the walls of the old city. After the six day war in 1967, the archeologists seized the opportunity the recapturing of the city brought and went out on a big excavation following Jerusalem’s ancient history. The digs resulted in the exposure of the Cardo (the old market street in the Roman-Byzanite period), the Burnt House, Robinson’s Bow and many more. Today’s Jewish Quarter residents are practicing Jews, many of them coming from English speaking countries. Along with plenty of religious schools that cater for Jewish youth from abroad, the Jewish Quarter, like the German Colony has a strong Anglophone appeal. Major attractions in the quarter include the Western Wall, the Cardo, the Hurva Synagoge, the Bunt House and the Four Sephardi Synagogues.

Brown Hotel Mahane Yehuda Jerusalem - A fun hip new hotel in the best location in Jerusalem

Brown Mahane Yehuda is the fourth hotel in the Brown hotel collection in Jerusalem, brother to Villa Brown, Villa Braun in Moshava and Braun JLM which opened last February. The hotel is Located at 105 Jaffa St. next to the famous Mahane Yehuda market, which in recent years has become the center of Jerusalem's nightlife and where the best bars and restaurants of the city are located today. The hotel offers a combination of a chic urban atmosphere with local touches inspired by the colorful market. At the entrance to the hotel, in a spacious space with an industrial design and next to it a green and blooming garden, a chef's restaurant will soon open, which will turn towards midnight into a sexy cocktail bar that will host a crowd of tourists alongside local revelers until the wee hours of the night. Already at the entrance to the lobby of Brown Mahane Yehuda, you can see that the entire area has been designed in the atmosphere of the motto Work Hard, Play Harder - a New York design, dim, intimate, the kind that envelops the guest the morning after the party and eases the hangover feeling. Next to the X's library that has become the hallmark of Brown hotels in Israel and around the world, exposed white and concrete walls covered with heavy golden velvet curtains introduce the guests to the hotel's unique atmosphere. The lobby of Brown Mahane Yehuda is the perfect place to start the evening before the real departure. Rooftop You are invited to go up to the roof of the hotel and enjoy an urban landscape like only Jerusalem can produce. In the background: music, on the side: a cocktail and around pampering jacuzzi baths. (The rooftop is active in the spring and summer seasons only) The hotel rises next to the colorful and bustling Mahane Yehuda market, which in recent years has become a top tourist destination for all culinary and entertainment lovers. Fragrant spice stalls, sweets in glittering cellophanes, jades shouting their wares from afar, artisanal patisserie and boulangerie stalls and a host of restaurants and eateries, from old fashioned wicks to up-to-date chef restaurants. As darkness falls, a host of particularly happy neighborhood bars join the celebration. The many other entertainment centers that Jerusalem offers are also within walking distance: Jaffa Pedestrian Street with its many shops, Davidka Square and the historic Cats Square, the magical Nachalat Sheshiva pedestrian street and the Museum of Tolerance next to it, which is expected to open soon, and of course, the Old City on its walls. The hotel's 110 luxuriously designed rooms are all decorated in dark colors and golden touches and are designed to comfortably accommodate individuals, couples and families. The hotel offers 7 types of rooms, all equipped with spacious king-size beds with the highest quality linens, a mini-bar and a work desk. The bathrooms in all rooms are equipped with luxurious rain-fall showers and great bath products. On the fifth floor you will find the well-equipped gym, which will allow you to keep your heart rate high during your vacation. You are invited to conduct business as usual and book a place in the well-equipped conference room, located on the first floor. The room is adapted for up to 16 people, and accommodation and meal packages can be added accordingly. Our spa team will be happy to offer you a variety of professional treatments that will allow you to recharge your body and mind with new energies. You can book an overnight stay at the Brown Brown Mahane Yehuda hotel as part of a romantic and pampering overnight stay and spa package, by prior arrangement.

The Western Wall Time Line Jerusalem

1000 BC – Purchasing Mount Moria King David conquered Jerusalem, which was a Jebusite city located on the Ophel hill, southeast of today’s Old City area. He bought a neighboring hill, which was later identified with Mount Moria (the site of Isaac’s sacrifice), on which he placed the Ark of the Covenant. 950 BC – The Construction of the First Temple King Solomon, the son of David, built the First Temple on Mount Moria, which known today as the Temple Mount. 586 BC – The Destruction of the First Temple Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, conquered Jerusalem, burnt the Temple and exiled the Jews to Babylon. 515 BC – The Construction of the Second Temple In 537 BC, after 50 years in the Babylonian exile, the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem and began to rebuild the city and the Temple. The Second Temple was completed in 515 BC. Model of Second Temple 37- 4 BC – Herod’s Temple Herod the Great was appointed to the King of Judah and begun to reconstruct the Second Temple and to build the Temple Mount. He built an incredibly magnificent temple and a retaining wall around the Temple Mount enclosure. 70 AD – The Destruction of the Second Temple The Great Revolt of the Jews against the Romans led to the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Temple by Titus. The only remnant left was the western part of the Temple Mount’s retaining wall, which became the focal point of the Jewish people throughout the centuries. The authentic bricks of that wall can be seen at the bottom rows of today’s Western Wall. May 14, 1948 – The Western Wall Falls to Jordanian Hands A few hours after the official proclamation of the state of Israel, the Arab armies of the neighboring countries invaded Israel, and the terrible War of Independence begun. The Old City of Jerusalem, with the Western Wall in its center, fell to Jordanian legionnaires. Western Wall – Virtual Tour June 7, 1967 – Israel Regains Control of the Western Wall During the Six Days War and after 19 years, in which the access to the Wall was prevented from the Jews, the Israeli army recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem, and liberated the Western Wall. The Year 2000 – E-Communication with the Western Wall Maintaining the old tradition of placing a note with a prayer to God in the Wall’s bricks, the era of High Technology and e-communication provides a virtual answer for those who like to send their prayers to God, without actually visiting the Wall. The believer can now send his request via e-mail or fax and it will be placed between the Wall’s bricks.

Jerusalem - one of a kind