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If you’re looking for a unique activity for the whole family and all ages, the special sifting activity of the Temple Mount is an excellent idea for you! A unique and fascinating experience, that allows you to hold the story of the Temple Mount in your very hands.All members of the family will try themselves in real archaeological work, becoming real-life archaeologists who are seeking historical relics in the soil.<h3>HOW THE ACTIVITY GOES?</h3>You’ll listen to the story of the soil you’ll be sifting. It was removed from the Temple Mount site in the dead of night, and now you’d look for archaeology in it. The Temple Mount was such an important place with a rich history. Remnants of it can be found in every fistful of dirt – jewelry, seal prints, ancient weapons, decorated flooring tiles from the Temple, and countless other special items that will fill up the pages of history.And you and your family can contribute to that.Over 200,000 people have already taken part in the sifting work, with thousands of diverse remains uncovered – the names of each person who found them were marked as well, being mentioned in the media in Israel and around the world.<h3>SO WHAT’S THE STORY IN A NUTSHELL?</h3>It all started in 1999 when illegal construction work on the Temple Mount was initiated by the Muslim Waqf. To protect the historical value of the soil, huge amounts of earth containing archaeological remains of the temple were excavated and evacuated to Kedron Creek. Since the Temple Mount is inaccessible for archaeological excavation, sifting the dirt removed from it provides a rare opportunity to uncover the archaeological treasures that remained hidden in the mountain’s soil.Is the idea of discovering items of Jewish history excite you? Take the role of an archaeologist for a day and help save and uncover ancient relics from the most important site in the heritage of the People of Israel!

JOIN THE TEMPLE MOUNT SIFTING PROJECT & REVEAL JERUSALEM’S BURIED SECRETS

צילום: פרויקט סינון העפר מהר הבית

Sinun Temple mount

Meet Ancient Jerusalem, the City of David National Park, with a variety of attractions and tours that you won't find anywhere else.&nbsp;<h3>Tours and attractions for the whole family</h3>The City of David is located southeast of the Old City, on the Hill of the Ophel near the Western Wall. The ancient city's importance in Bible study makes the City of David the most important archaeological site in the Land of Israel. At this site, archaeological excavations were conducted by countless expeditions. Excavations continue to be carried out in the area and new and fascinating findings are constantly being revealed.Hallelujah: A Spectacular nighttime show in the City of David<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://itraveljerusalem.com/event/city-of-david-night-show/">Hallelujah Fire and Water</a> – This is a spectacular night-time show presented on top of the antiquities of the City of David with first-of-its-kind pyrotechnics in the land of Fire and water. The show combines a fascinating script of the story of Zion's return, revolutionary animation, and an exciting soundtrack. This is an unforgettable multi-sensory experience delivered to the audience by advanced technological means – only in Hallelujah can you go back in time and become part of the exciting story of ancient Jerusalem.Bar Mitzvah and Family Celebrations in the City of DavidHow about a family celebration in a unique atmosphere? The City of David invites you to have an extraordinary experience with unique hosting complexes that combine luxurious boutique design and an atmosphere that can only be found in Jerusalem – in its clear mountain air, stunning landscapes, history, and unforgettable holy atmosphere. The complexes are perfect for weddings, Bar Mitzvah, and Bat Mitzvah ceremonies (including a procession from the Western Wall to the City of David), birthdays, social events, and other joys. Celebrate your special occasion in the place where Jerusalem was born.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://itraveljerusalem.com/attraction/city-of-david-private-events/">Find out the perfect venue for your event.</a>Photos courtesy of the City of David Archive

The City of David

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Enjoy unique times in the city of kings and prophets, where about half of the Bible books were written and most of the stories took place in biblical Jerusalem, a VR experience, and a spectacular night show projected on top of the ancient walls of the City of David.

The birthplace of Jerusalem

&nbsp;You can visit the museum, experience changing exhibitions, and watch spectacular shows throughout the year. In addition, the museum hosts cultural events, tours, and unique art exhibitions.The activities at the Tower of David are suitable for Israelis and tourists of any age, regardless of religion, race, gender, or nationality. They give visitors an unusual experience through which they can get to know, learn and understand the city's long and fascinating tale. The Tower of David Museum and its impressive archaeological findings unfold the story of the city over three thousand years of history.&nbsp;The mysterious and impressive Kishle building, located next to the citadel, provides visitors with a glimpse of selected chapters in the city's history, such as the stories of Hezekiah's wall, Herod's palace, the Ottoman walls, and the British detention center. The ancient and beautifully restored citadel stands at the main entrance to the old city, Jaffa Gate, which carries a deep symbolic meaning between ancient and modern Jerusalem even today.<h2>New in the museum</h2>The Tower of David Museum is now reopened after an extensive upgrade that included the preservation of the ancient citadel, the renovation of the minaret - the iconic symbol of Jerusalem, the construction of a new entrance pavilion and a museum store, the renewal of infrastructure, improved accessibility in the citadel, and the most prominent highlight: a new permanent display of 10 galleries, integrating Innovative technology, interactive exhibits, archaeological finds, and ancient objects. The ticket to the museum includes a visit to the new permanent display, guided tours around the museum, entrance to the mo at and Kishla, a climb to the &nbsp;Phasael tower - 360° view of Jerusalem, and a stroll through the citadel courtyard. &nbsp;An audio guide and disposable headphones are provided to the visitors.Jerusalem from a bird's eye view: Join a new tour that will take you on an adventure within historical models that present Jerusalem's timeline. The new tour will allow is an open-air tour through the spacious citadel courtyard and invites visitors to get to know Jerusalem and discover how it has changed throughout history. The tour includes unique historical models of Jerusalem that describe the changes in the capital over thousands of years. Among the models, you can find a large, rare, detailed model of Jerusalem in the 19th century inside a 1500-year-old cistern. Along the tour, you will stop at points of interest and remains from different periods discovered in archaeological excavations in the citadel.&nbsp;Admission includes an audio guide and disposable headphones.&nbsp;The mystery of Herod's Palace and the Kishle: A new tour that invites visitors to a fascinating journey into Jerusalem's past. Come and observe the significant events and stories that shaped history; A journey beginning in the citadel complex and continuing to the trench complex and the Kishle. In 1999, the Antiquities Authority carried out an extensive archaeological excavation in the Kishle and revealed the city's secrets from the days of the First Temple to the present day. Now the site is open for independent visits for the first time. The tour passes through the remains of King Herod's palace, a Jewish factory from the Middle Ages, and the detention center in Kishle. It includes rare findings, fascinating stories, and testimonies. Admission includes an audio guide and disposable headphones.<h2>The night shows at the Tower of David&nbsp;</h2>The night shows at the Tower of David are a multi-sensory, breathtaking experience of sights and sounds. The citadel's walls and the archaeological remains in its courtyard are used as a setting for an impressive performance, unfolding Jerusalem's historical story using cutting-edge technologies and original music. The show "King David" reviews King David's history intertwined with Jerusalem's history and tells the story using innovative technology.&nbsp;The show is an immersive and spectacular journey within the great historical drama of King David - builder and founder of Jerusalem. The show "The Night Vision" is a powerful and experiential audiovisual show like no other that tells the story of Jerusalem with pictures and images projected on the ancient walls, the archaeological ruins, and the hidden paths of the citadel. The night vision and the King David show are for speakers of all languages. The shows are shown twice a week as of this moment.&nbsp;An entrance ticket to the museum does not include entry to the night shows. Tickets for the night show - King David and The Night Vision can be purchased separately. The entrance to the museum is from David Garden – the Western entrance to the Tower of David, adjacent to Jaffa Gate, at the end of Mamilla Boulevard. For more information about accessibility, don't hesitate to get in touch with 072-3290715

The Tower of David Museum

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The Tower of David Museum is one of the distinct symbols of Jerusalem that represents thousands of years of history.

Experience exhibitions and spectacular night shows

Look at pictures of the old city versus the new: fascinating views from the past, Jerusalem neighborhoods, and major sites in the capital. Incredible sights are reflected from the walls and compose Jerusalem's unique mosaic together.<h2>The tour tracks in the Walls Promenade</h2>A walk on Jerusalem's walls from above allows a spectacular panoramic view of the city and its sites. The tour route runs along most of the wall (except the Temple Mount area). It is divided into two: the southern promenade - passes over the Armenian and the Jewish quarters from Jaffa Gate to Zion Gate (with the option of reaching near the Dung Gate and the Western Wall's prayer plaza).&nbsp;The northern promenade passes over the Christian and Muslim quarters from Jaffa Gate through the New Gate, Damascus Gate, to the Flower Gate. Please note, the entrance to both promenades, the southern and the northern, is from Jaffa Gate.&nbsp;In addition, you can also enjoy a challenging and combined route.

Ramparts Walks

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Come and get to know Jerusalem from the heights of the Walls Promenade in the Old City.

Enjoy the amazing views of the city 

Gallery 4+: Historical site Listing English

Historical Sites in Jerusalem

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Around the Old City Walls

Abu Gosh

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South Jerusalem

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Jerusalem HIlls

Jaffa Street Area

Machane Yehuda Market

Ben Yehuda Pedestrian 

Nahalat Shiva

German Colony &Emek Refaim

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Ein Karem

Mamilla

First Station

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Attractions

The Dome of the Ascension is west of the Dome of the Rock. It is a church with a cruciform structure from the 12th century used as a Christian baptismal chapel that preserves the memory of Jesus' ascension to heaven 40 days after his resurrection. With the city's conquest by the Muslims, the dome was dedicated to commemorating the ascension of the Prophet Muhammad to heaven. Today the building serves as an office of the Waqf.

Accessibility

Dome of the Ascension

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is the most sacred site for millions of Christian believers

Free Entry

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

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The Mount of Olives is a high ridge that flanks ancient Jerusalem from the east and separates it from the Judean Desert. The ridge crowns Jerusalem from the east, starting from the slopes of Kidron river in the south and ending at Mount Scopus in the north. 

Mount of Olives, Jerusalem

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The Church of All Nations is located near the Garden of Gethsemane in the western part of Mount Olives, where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus prayed his last prayer. 

Church of All Nations & Gathsemane

One of Jerusalem’s quainter areas is in and around Emek Refaim Street, where a group of German Templar's – not to be confused with the Knights Templar – founded a colony in 1873. The Templar's were a breakaway Protestant sect that encouraged believers to go to the Holy Land ahead of the impending Messianic redemption. They built their homes according to the dictates of the day’s German style, mostly one- or two-story farmhouses with shuttered windows and tiled roofs. In 1878, the Templar community established a cemetery where they buried community members and leaders.
The cemetery also includes a monument to 47 Templar soldiers killed in World War I. During World War II, the colony was dismantled and its members – German nationals who weren’t shy about their Nazi sympathies – were evacuated. Today the German Colony, and especially its main street, Emek Refaim, is one of hippest, trendiest spots in Jerusalem, with many boutiques and cafes. If you stop by and want to pay a visit to the Templar Cemetery, make sure to coordinate in advance.

The Templar Cemetery

This is a wide compound, housing the representative of the Vatican in the Holy Land, the Latin patriarch. The compound houses the Patriarchate offices, an impressive cathedral, and also a hospice.

The Latin Patriarchate

Al-Aqsa Mosque, located south of the Temple Mount near Shlomo's Ark, is a large and impressive place of prayer and one of the most important and sacred mosques in the Muslim world. The Al-Aqsa Mosque has the structure of a Byzantine basilica, and its dome is visible from a distance. Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the mosque, but you can visit the complex during opening hours without entering the buildings.

Al-Aqsa Mosque

Gethsemane is where according to the Christian tradition and as described in the New Testament, Jesus prayed his last prayer the night before his crucifixion and was tormented before being handed over to the Romans by Judas Iscariot.

The Garden of Olives - Gethsemane

The Gihon Spring was the main source of water for the City of David, the original site of Jerusalem. The spring was not only used for drinking water, but also initially for irrigation of gardens in the adjacent Kidron Valley. Today, the spring is sometimes used by Jewish men as a sort of mikvah (ritual bath).
 
Three main water systems allowed water to be brought from the spring to the city under cover: Warren's Shaft, Hezekiah's Tunnel and the Middle Bronze Age channel. Warren's Shaft and Hezekiah's Tunnel can be viewed today when visiting the City of David National Park.
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Gihon Spring at The City of David

The Jaffa Gate is one of the eight gates of the Old City of Jerusalem. The gate is located on the city's western side, and you can reach it by public transport or private car, which we recommend leaving in the Mamilla Boulevard parking lot or the Karta parking lot (which is closer).

Paid Parking

Jaffa Gate

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Located just outside of <a title="Getting to Bethlehem" href="/articles/travel-from-jerusalem-to-bethlehem/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bethlehem</a>, along the road of the forefathers that connects Nablus and Hebron, Rachel's tomb is where Jews and Muslims believe the foremother Rachel was buried. Rachel was the wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin, and the burial site is holy to Jews, Muslims and Christians.
According to Jewish tradition, Rachel wept from her tomb as the Jews passed it on their way to the Babylonian exile, and it subsequently became a pilgrimage site for prayer and continues to be until this day, especially on holidays and the Hebrew date on the calendar commemorating Rachel's death. You will also see women collecting stones from around the tomb as part of a traditional belief that it will ease labor while giving birth.
The tomb is generally open 24 hours, but depending on the security situation it is sometimes closed from 10:00 pm at night until 12:00 pm the next day, and large groups may have to coordinate their visit with Israeli security.
Photo: Kluger Zoltan

Rachel's Tomb

The Garden Tomb is an especially popular site, brimming with lush green niches, making it a definite item on your list to visit. The garden is quiet and tranquil, suitable for prayer and reflection. There is no need to reserve in advance, but we recommend coordinating a visit nevertheless, by phoning 02-6272745, especially for groups.

The Garden Tomb

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The Armenian Quarter is the smallest among Jerusalem’s Quarters, and it is actually an ancient monastery and the abode of the Armenian Patriarchate. The origin of the Armenians is from the areas of Van Lake and Ararat Mountain in modern North - Eastern Turkey. 

The Armenian Patriarchate, Armenian Quarter

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On both sides of the alley stands the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the oldest of Jerusalem’s Patriarchates. Its flags can be seen waving from the alley’s vantage point. 

The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

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This is a Catholic nunnery, housing a hospice and an international learning center. Its construction was completed in 1860. The convent was founded by the converted Jew Alphonse Ratisbonne, founder of sisterhood “Our Lady of Zion”. Ratisbonne and his brother Theodor established in Jerusalem two additional monasteries, one in Ein Karem, and the other in the margins of Rechavia neighborhood. The Sisters of Zion see their aim as being the promotion of justice and understanding with the Jewish people.

Under the monastery, in a large underground hall, there is a large water pool carved in the stone. This is part of the Struthion Pool (the Greek word for “lark”, Probably due to the fact that it was relatively smaller than other pools in Jerusalem). This pool was built during the Second Temple era, north of the Antonia Fortress, in the moat that protected it, and also served as its water source.

The pool was unroofed, but after the failure of the Bar Kokhba Revolt in 135 AD, when Jerusalem became a pagan Roman city during the days of Adrianus Caesar, a dome was added to cover the pool. A big stone-paved courtyard was built above the dome. The remnants of this courtyard are also located under the Convent of the Sisters of Zion. Remnants of the Roman victory gate were integrated into the monastic church, which was probably also built during the era of Adrianus Caesar. The entrance into the archeological remnants is with payment.

The Convent of the Sisters of Zion- the Ecce Homo Convent

A photo exhibit of the defenders of the Jewish Quarter

Alone on the Walls - 1948 Old City Siege

The Church of the Nativity is one of the holiest sites in Christian tradition, which holds that the church was built on top of the cave where Jesus of Nazareth was born. The church was first built under the auspices of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great in 135 AD and has been refurbished and added to numerous times since. Inside the church, you can visit the Milk Grotto, which is said to be the actual cave where Mary gave birth to Jesus.
The church is a popular tourist destination year-round and the site of a particularly festive celebration on Christmas, when masses of people from all over the world gather inside and outside the church for services that are shown on a large screen in Manger Square.
The site is also holy to Muslims, who consider Jesus one of the prophets of Allah, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Church of the Nativity

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The Church of Mary Magdalene is a Russian church on the western slopes of the Mount of Olives. The church was nicknamed the Onion Church thanks to its domes shape on its minarets that look like golden onions.

Not Accessible

Church of Mary Magdalene

The Church of St. Anne is located near the <a title="The Lions Gate" href="/city/jerusalem/lions-gate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lion's Gate</a> in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. Built between 1131 and 1168 AD, the church is best known for its typical medieval architecture and near-perfect acoustics that make it a destination for soloists and choirs.

Church of St. Anne

This is one of the most beautiful and impressive gates among the gates of the wall, which was built during the times of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent from the 16th century. This is a central gate in the wall and it faces the north, towards Nablus and Damascus. In English it is named Damascus Gate, and in Arabic- “Bab El Amud” (“the gate of the pillar”), probably due to the pillar that stood at the center of the gate’s courtyard during the Roman-Byzantine era, as evident in the Madaba Map, which was discovered in Jordan. Turban-like decorations decorate the gate, and due to its importance, many observations points and guard towers were built there.

During the Roman era, a stone-paved courtyard was built here, and at its center stood the statue of the emperor. Two streets started from this courtyard, leading towards the south. To this day, two main streets split from Damascus Gate, preserving the Roman structure of this area: the right street is the Khan A- Zeit  or Beit Habad street, and the left street is El Wad Street- or Hagai. Both are commercial streets that cross the city from north to south.

Excavations conducted in this place after 1967 exposed under the Ottoman gate remnants of the Roman Square, as well as remnants of the Roman Gate. This was a magnificent gate with three arched openings. The central arch was twice as wide and tall than the two arches on both sides of it. The opening on the extreme left survived almost completely and was exposed in the excavations.

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Damascus Gate

Historical Sites in Jerusalem, Christian Holy Sites

Historical Sites in Jerusalem

JOIN THE TEMPLE MOUNT SIFTING PROJECT & REVEAL JERUSALEM’S BURIED SECRETS

The City of David

The Tower of David Museum

Ramparts Walks