Jerusalem, Essay Example

Jerusalem has been the religious center of the Middle East for thousands of years. Although many different religions and societies have inhabited it since its founding, it continues to be significant to Christians, Muslims, and Jews. This location is important to many different people in part due to the many religious sites that are found in this region. Today, these historic sites are very popular tourist destinations. The most significant historic sites of interest include the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Garden Tomb, Ecce Homo, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is worthwhile to visit these three locations in order to greater understand the formation and evolution of three Judeo-Christian religions that formed in this region.

The Dome of the Rock is a mosque that was completed in 691 A.D and modeled after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Despite its current affiliation with Islam, it is also significant to the Jewish people because it was built on a platform known as the Temple Mount, which is the site of the Second Jewish Temple. Interestingly, Christians also believe this site is holy because it is said that Jesus had walked there. In the Islamic religion, this is the site of a miracle known as “the Isra and Miraj” in which the prophet Mohammad ascended to heaven.

The Western Wall is a religious site in Jerusalem that has significance to both the Muslims and the Jewish people. It is believed to be the remnant of the Second Jewish Temple, which was built around 19 B.C., and serves as a site for pilgrimage and prayer. It is popular for visitors to insert a note or prayer into the cracks of the wall, and it is believed that doing so will cause the prayer to come true.

The Garden Tomb, Ecce Homo, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are important to Christians because they believe that these locations help retrace the journey of Jesus throughout Jerusalem. Ecce homo is Latin for “behold the man” and are the words that Pontius Pilate used to describe a captured Jesus before his crucifixion. To commemorate Jesus’ life, a church named Ecce Homo was constructed, and marks the path that he walked towards his crucifixion. Meanwhile, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built to mark the site of the actual crucifixion. Although the church is mostly known for its relationship to biblical tales, the knights of the First Crusade temporarily made it their home during their attempt to reclaim Jerusalem in 1099 A.D. Lastly, the Garden Tomb is believed to be where Jesus was buried and resurrected. Religious leaders are currently under debate as to whether Jesus died at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or this site, but many Christian sects, such as the Protestants, have voted in favor of this site as his death place.

All five of these sites provide excellent insight into the rich history of Jerusalem. Interestingly, many of the sites that are significant for one Judeo-Christian religion are often significant for the others as well. Visiting the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, the Garden Tomb, Ecce Homo, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre will allow you to explore religious history first hand in the most religious city in the world and to retrace the steps of many well-known religious characters.