Home > Israel Tours > Israel Travel Guide > Old City of Jerusalem
The Old City of Jerusalem
The Old City of Jerusalem, a prime destination for visitors coming to tour Israel, occupies an important role in the hearts and minds of Jews, Muslims and Christians alike. From the Western Wall, a must-see sight for anyone interested in Jewish heritage, to the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aksa Mosque atop the Temple Mount, a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem brings to life the special breed of coinheritance formed amongst Jerusalem's religiously diverse residents.
The Old City of Jerusalem is enveloped within a wall, in the past used to protect the residents from outsiders, and can be accessed through seven gates. No tour to Israel is complete without a stroll atop the wall surrounding the Old city of Jerusalem. Be it group travels or private tours of the city, walking along the ancient wall, some thirteen feet above ground level, is always an exiting experience!
Old City of Jerusalem - Observation Posts
To kick start any tour of the Old City it is worthwhile to climb atop the Tower of David, which provides a breathtaking view of the Old City of Jerusalem. This panoramic view is especially advisable if you are on a family tour to Israel, as walking through the Old City of Jerusalem may prove challenging when traveling with children. Another great way to see the Old City from high above is to climb up to the many observation posts located along the wall.
A Family Tour of the Old City of Jerusalem - The Four Quarters
Walking down from Jaffa Gate along David Street will lead you directly to the Arab market or, as referred to by the locals, the Souk. This is the hub of the Old City of Jerusalem and a location always bustling with activity and life force. Make the Souk your focal point and start your tour of the Old City's four quarters from here. The Arab and Christian quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem are located to the left of the Souk, while the Jewish quarter and Armenian quarters are on the right hand side of the market place.
If you are especially taken with the excitement of the Souk, you may want to pass through Damascus Gate; the northern gate leading into the Old City of Jerusalem and one frequented by the Arab residents of the Old City. Tours to Israel are often remembered by the Old City's vibrant open-air market on which you may feast your senses.
A Bar Mitzvah Tour of the Old City of Jerusalem
Paying a visit to the Western Wall is an especially profound experience when on a Bar Mitzvah tour, Bat Mitzvah tour or Jewish Heritage tour. The Western Wall, also known as the Wailing Wall in memory of the destruction of the Temple, is the holiest of sights for the Jewish people. Part of the sacred Har Habait (the Temple Mount) compound, the Western Wall attracts many boys at Bar Mitzvah age for their thirteenth birthday celebrations. Bat Mitzvah tours to the Kotel are also plentiful, though these take place on the opposite side of the dividing screen which separates the men from the women as is customary in Jewish tradition. It is here, among the sea of Orthodox Jews, the sounds of prayer and the air of holiness, that the true mood of the Old City of Jerusalem is most pertinent.
Not to be forgotten, placing slips of paper with wishes or prayers into the crevices of the Western Wall is a momentous occasion and one well worth trying for religious and secular Jews alike.
Other Jerusalem Related Articles
Jerusalem City Guide
The Jewish Quarter
Western Wall (Hakotel)
Ben Gurion Airport
Restaurants in Jerusalem
Hotels in Jerusalem
Israel Travel
|
