Jerusalem: Israel capital

The Wailing Wall and the restored arch of the Hurva Synagogue are just two of the many biblical and historic icons scattered through the Jewish Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem.

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Your Jerusalem travel may lead you to the Hurva Synagogue, first built in 1700 by Polish Jews under guidance of the famous Rabbi Yehuda Hahassid.

It was the Great Synagogue of the Jewish Quarter and its dome was visible throughout Jerusalem.

The Hurva Synagogue was burnt and destroyed several times, most recently in the 1948 war when Jordanian soldiers captured Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter.

The reconstructed arch pictured above marks the line of the former building's domed roof and stands as a memorial to the synagogue that once was.

Wailing Wall

The Western Wall of Jerusualem pictured above is the holiest site in Judaism, although people of all denominations travel here to leave a note for their respective deities.

The lower sections of the wall date to 200BC and are the last remains of the ramparts that surrounded the Holy Temple of the Jews built by King Solomon.

The temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilt by the Babylonian exiles and by Herod, and burned down by Titus.

Jews have gathered since the day after its destruction to weep and pray on the ruins, hence the term Wailing Wall coined by Christians in the Middle Ages.

Islam built the Dome of the Rock above the temple ruins in Jerusalem and only one side of the holy structure remained... the Western Wall above which the Jewish people believe the Divine Presence can be found.

Visitors will find the wall divided into sections for men and women, many worshippers putting notes and prayers into the wall cracks in the belief that this is the closest man can come to God. Tourists shouldn't take photographs on the Sabbath.

The Western Wall is about 49 metres (160 feet) long and 12 metres (40 feet) high. Archaeologists have found that 19 rows of stones extend about six metres (20 feet) underground.

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The wall now forms part of a larger wall surrounding the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa mosque. As a result, Jews and Muslims remain divided over the history of the wall and rights of access.

The Dome of the Rock symbolises Islam's claim to the City of Jerusalem and the Western Wall symbolises the Jewish claim to the City of Jerusalem.

The Old City of Jerusalem in Israel has more than 3000 years of history, starting when King David made the city his capital and his son Solomon built the first temple. Jesus later came to Jerusalem for the Passover pilgrimage.

If you've booked a flight to this capital of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian faiths in Israel, set aside several days at least to explore its various nooks and crannies.

To experience the magic of Jerusalem, hop on the No.99 bus at Jaffa Gate and pay 22 shekels (about US$6) for a comprehensive two hour tour of the city.

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