Israel Hotels

Enjoy Israel

The Herzl Center

The Herzl Center for Zionist Studies is a place where people can learn about Theodor Herzl, the man who created the Zionist ideology. The Center has programs that last from a few hours to a few days, and they are for people of all denominations who want to learn more about Zionism. The Center also has goals to create a bridge between the past and the present, and to pass Herzl’s legacy on to the younger generation.

Herzl was a Zionist thinker who believed that the Jewish people deserved their own land. 100 years later, his thoughts on Jewish identity, Anti-Semitism, and the relationship between Diaspora Jewry and Zionism are still relevant. Herzl’s final wish was to be buried in the “Land of Israel” which shows his belief in the future of the Jewish people.

Museum Address:
Mount Herzl – Herzl boulevard, Jerusalem

Phone: +(972)2-6321515

Hours:

Sun – Thur 08:30 AM – 18:00 PM
(Last Entry 17:00 PM)
Friday 08:30 AM – 13:30 PM
(Last Entry 11:30 AM)

Reservation Desk
Sun – Thur 08:30 AM – 16:30 PM
Friday 08:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Entry by Reservation Only

Israel's favorite Jerusalem - More options:

Western Wall Tunnel

Descend into the Jewish nation's history in the 322-meter underground tunnel, at the spot closest to where the Temple once stood. The Western Wall Tunnel was discovered 150 years ago, but was only opened to the general public in 1984. In 1996, the exit from the tunnel to the Via Dolorosa was breached. A visit to the tunnel is an experience that will fill visitors with awe, as it combines mythical forces, legends, history and politics – all in the spot closest to the remnants of the Holy Temple. The underground tunnels span the length of the Western Wall, under the homes in the Old City of Jerusalem's Muslim Quarter. The site contains spaces that have been connected to allow visitors to pass between the different splendid structures and the homes from the era of the Second Temple, the foundations of the Crusader church and buildings from the Middle Ages, wells, quarries, a canal from the Hasmonean period and more. The Western Wall is recognized as a 62-meter remnant of the Temple, though the tunnels reveal that it actually extends 488 meters. A tour of the tunnels begins at the entrance gate adjacent to the Western Wall platform, through a passageway to the largest of the tunnel halls, which contains a model of the Temple Mount, Temple and Muslim Quarter. Continue towards the Western Wall itself, which displays a building method unique to the Herodian Era, an imprecise style that grants the Western Wall a particularly impressive look, with engineering reinforcement. Visitors pass to Warren's Gate, which is now blocked with cement, but was one of the four gates to the Temple Mount during the Second Temple period, through which individuals could reach the Holy of the Holies (Kodesh Hakodashim): The Foundation Stone from which, according to the Jewish faith, the world was created and on which the Holy Arc stood in the First and Second Temples. At the end of the tunnel, visitors reach a Herodian street, with the original stones still intact, that was used by the city's upper class, merchants and Roman monarchy. From there, visitors continue on to the stunning Hasmonean canal from the second century B.C.E., at the end of which they reach the Lark Pool, under the Congregation of Notre-Dame de Sion; another right turn in the short tunnel will lead to the Via Dolorosa in the Old City. Entrance to the Western Wall Tunnel must be coordinated in advance, and is available for groups of up to 30 people, which must be accompanied a guide. Individuals can join groups (cost: NIS 7-18). The site is closed on Saturdays. For more information and to coordinate a visit, call 02-627-1333.

The Holy sites of Jerusalem

Being the most important city for all major religions, the old city of Jerusalem is probably the most fascinating trip you can make while visiting Israel. The history of Jerusalem combines some of the most important events in Jewish and Christian history alike, and the religious sites spread throughout the city capture the imagination of each and every visitor. The Wailing Wall (the Western Wall) is the first stop for Jewish travelers in the old city of Jerusalem. It is the only remaining part of the ancient temple of King Solomon which has become the holiest spot in Jewish life and an Israeli national symbol as well. The Wailing Wall is where Jewish worshipers pray in a designated area in front of the holy site; mourn over the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, and wish for the return of Israel's former glory. They also write their personal requests from G-d and post it in little notes between the wall's ancient stones. Mount Zion is another Jewish and Christian holy site you wouldn't want to miss. According to Jewish tradition, Mount Zion is the burial place of King David. Today, it is one of the most popular Jewish burial sites in Jerusalem. Mount Zion is very significant for Christians as well: according to Christian belief, it is where the last supper was held, in the building identified as the Coenaculum, which is also where Jesus reappeared after his resurrection. According to Christianity, in this area of the city the disciples and early Christians were living at the time. Beyond its history, Mount Zion offers some spectacular views of the old city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem's vicinity offers several other significant sites for Christian visitors: the nearby Bethlehem, where Jesus was born; the Mount of Olives, where he ascended to heaven, according to Christianity; and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is the first among the Christian shrines in the Old City of Jerusalem, where the resurrection has been celebrated for many centuries as the most sacred place in all of Christendom. Plus there is the Via Dolorosa, the holiest Christian thoroughfare in the world: This path is symbolically reliving the events of the passion, and includes the shrine of the ascension, the Garden of Gethsemane and Mount Zion. The holy sites of the old city of Jerusalem have defined its nature for thousands of years and still reflect its remarkable history and significance. Visiting some of these sites and wondering through the streets and markets of the old city is an experience you will carry with you for many years after visiting one of the most special cities in the entire world.

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.

Jerusalem - one of a kind

Israel Hotels - best hotel deals in Israel