The Old City of Jerusalem

A mountainous walled city with a 5,000-year history, Jerusalem is sacred to the three great monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam - which means it is sacred to more than a third of the world's population. For Jews, Jerusalem is the site of the Temple, now in ruins except for the Western Wall; for Christians, it is the site of Christ's death and resurrection; for Muslims, it is the site of the Prophet's night journey to heaven. Jerusalem is therefore a major site of pilgrimage for all three religions as well as, unfortunately, a place of religio-political tension over this important piece of land. The city is also popular destination for non-religious travelers, thanks to its unmatched historical and spiritual importance, its network of museums and concerts, and the archeological treasures that are continually discovered here.

Today, the Old City is roughly divided into the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter and the Armenian Quarter. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War the Old City found itself located entirely on the Jordanian side of the demarcation line. During the Six Day War in 1967, which saw hand to hand fighting on the Temple Mount, the Old City transferred to Israeli control.