Jerusalem is a hilltop city of about 1 million people in the Judean Mountains, sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Its walled Old City holds the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Haram al-Sharif (Temple Mount) with the Dome of the Rock, while West Jerusalem offers the Mahane Yehuda market, Israel Museum and Yad Vashem, and East Jerusalem has Palestinian-run neighbourhoods, markets and the Mount of Olives.
Jerusalem has been settled for about 5,000 years. King David is traditionally said to have made it capital around 1000 BCE and Solomon built the First Temple. It fell to Babylon in 586 BCE, was rebuilt in the Second Temple period, destroyed by Rome in 70 CE, ruled by Byzantines, Arab caliphs, Crusaders, Mamluks and Ottomans, held by Britain from 1917 to 1948, divided in 1948 and reunited under Israeli control in 1967. Its status remains disputed and sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Jerusalem.
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1
David makes Jerusalem his capital
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2
Solomon completes the First Temple
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3
Babylonians destroy the Temple
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4
Romans destroy the Second Temple
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5
Constantine's church of the Holy Sepulchre consecrated
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6
Caliph Umar takes Jerusalem peacefully
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7
Dome of the Rock completed
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8
First Crusade takes the city
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9
Saladin recaptures the city
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10
Suleiman the Magnificent builds the present walls
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11
British forces take Jerusalem
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12
City divided between Israel and Jordan
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13
Israel takes the east of the city in the Six-Day War
Historical eras
The chapters of Jerusalem's past.
Canaanite and Israelite (3000-586 BCE)
City of David, First Temple
Second Temple and Roman (516 BCE-324 CE)
Herod's expansion and destruction by Titus in 70 CE
Byzantine and Early Islamic (324-1099)
Holy Sepulchre built; Dome of the Rock completed in 691
Crusader and Mamluk (1099-1517)
Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem and Mamluk architecture
Ottoman (1517-1917)
Suleiman rebuilds the walls in 1535-1542
British Mandate to modern (1917-present)
Division in 1948, reunification in 1967
Historical sites
Places where Jerusalem's past comes alive.
Old City Walls and Gates
Ottoman walls and seven open gates enclose the Old City.
Where: Old City perimeter
Admission: Free (Ramparts Walk about 25-30 ILS / $8-10)
City of David
Excavated oldest settlement with the Gihon Spring and Hezekiah's Tunnel.
Where: Silwan
Admission: About 45-50 ILS (approx $15-16)
Tower of David Citadel
Medieval citadel with a museum of Jerusalem's history.
Where: Jaffa Gate
Admission: About 55-60 ILS (approx $18-20)
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Traditional site of the crucifixion and tomb of Jesus.
Where: Christian Quarter
Admission: Free
Western Wall and Tunnels
Herodian retaining wall of the Second Temple compound and the excavated tunnel alongside it.
Where: Jewish Quarter
Admission: Plaza free; tunnels about 40-50 ILS (approx $13-17)
Dome of the Rock
Umayyad shrine of 691 CE on the Temple Mount.
Where: Haram al-Sharif
Admission: Free
Davidson Archaeological Park
Excavated Herodian street and monumental steps south of the Temple Mount.
Where: South of the Western Wall
Admission: About 50 ILS (approx $17)
Mount Zion and the Cenacle
Site of the Cenacle, Dormition Abbey and King David's Tomb.
Where: Mount Zion
Admission: Free
Church of St Anne
Crusader church beside the Pools of Bethesda.
Where: Muslim Quarter
Admission: About 10-15 ILS (approx $3-5)
Yad Vashem
National Holocaust memorial and museum.
Where: Mount Herzl
Admission: Free
Museums
Curated collections that tell Jerusalem's story.
Israel Museum
Dead Sea Scrolls and archaeology
Bible Lands Museum
Ancient Near East artefacts
Tower of David Museum
Jerusalem's history across eras
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.
Free walking tour from Jaffa Gate
Tip-based Old City tours depart daily from the Tower of David steps at about 11:00AM; check current departure times online.
Western Wall Heritage Foundation tours
Official guided tunnel tours booked at thekotel.org.
Yad Vashem guided visit
Booked in advance at yadvashem.org.