JERUSALEM AND THE JUDEAN DESERT
JERUSALEM AND THE JUDEAN DESERT
There is no doubt that for most visitors, Jerusalem, up in the Judean Mountains, is the most important site and their main destination in the country.
Descending eastward from Jerusalem, through the Judean Desert, you arrive at the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea region.
Recommended stay in Jerusalem: 2 nights or more
Jerusalem
Is there any city in the world, other than Jerusalem, that is holy to three religions? Many people, be they tourists or pilgrims, feel that their visit to Jerusalem is one of the highlights of their lives.
Jerusalem, located in the Judean Mountains, some 750 meters (2500 feet) above sea level, is the site of the two Temples – the first Temple built by Solomon, King of Israel, in the 10th century BCE; the last Temple destroyed by the Romans while suppressing the Jewish revolt in the first century CE. Throughout history Jerusalem was the capital of the independent Jewish state – whenever there was one – and is now too, the capital of the state of Israel.
Jerusalem is the location of cardinal events in the formation of Christianity, primarily those commemorated during the Holy Week, Jesus' triumphal entry
into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, his arrest, Crucifixion, Resurrection,
and Ascension
to Heaven from the Mount of Olives.
Jerusalem became holy to Muslims too, as the site of Muhammad's Night Journey and Ascension to Heaven.
Jerusalem is not a place for a short visit. Although the Church of the Holy Sepulcher
and the Western (Wailing) Wall
– both in the Old City – are the key sites, many other sites are not to be missed. For example, the Mount of Olives, the Temple Mount
(el-Haram esh-Sharif), The Shrine of the Book, and Yad Vashem
– the Holocaust memorial and museum.
Nearby Bethlehem, birthplace of King David and of Jesus, is of utmost significance to people of a Christian heritage.
The Dead Sea and the Judean Desert
The historical drama that took place on Mount Masada
is only one reason why it is one of the most visited sites in Israel. Masada, in the Judean Desert, overlooks the slowly shrinking Dead Sea, the lowest place on Earth.
The desert is the region of fugitives (David was the most famous) of nomads, hermits, and rebels. The Dead Sea Scrolls
– the most important archaeological finds discovered in this country – were found in caves in this desert.
Ein Gedi
is an oasis, attracting visitors as well as animals such as Nubian ibexes.
Jericho
and the nearby Baptismal Site in the Jordan River
are also in this region.
