Jerusalem Essays - Neighbourhoods Of Jerusalem, Quarters

Jerusalem Jerusalem is located in the heart of Israel and is divided into three sections: the Old City, New City (West Jerusalem), and East Jerusalem. In the center is the Old City which is split up into four main sections: Muslim Quarter, Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. Also, the Old City is the site of many religious and historical landmarks. Within Jewish Quarters, the main attraction is the Western (Wailing) Wall Wall"). It's dubbed the "Wailing Wall" because many Jews come to pray there, and their prayers sound like wailing. The Wall is the small remaining part of King Solomon's Temple. After the Jews were banished from Temple Mount, the Western Wall became the most sacred place of Judaism. There are two major sects of Jews in this part of the city. There is the Sephardic group, who come from Spain, Africa, and the Mediterranean, and there is the Ashkenazic group, who come from Northern Europe. Another section of the Old City is the Christian Quarter. The center of this part of the city is The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is believed that the Via Dolorosa, a street, was the site of the original Stations of the Cross. Furthermore, it is maintained that Jesus was originally buried at this site. The Church was rebuilt by Crusaders in 1099 CE, but it was originally built in the fourth century. The St. James Cathedral is the center of attention in the Armenian part. Many families who escaped the Armenian Holocaust in 1915 settled in the Old City. Many of the residents of this part of the Armenian Quarter practice the Greek Orthodox religion. The last section of the city is the Muslim Section. Atop the Temple Mount are the gold-domed Dome of the Rock (661 BCE) and the silver-domed al-Aqsa mosques. The Rock referred to in Dome of the Rock is Mt.Zion. This is where Abram went to sacrifice Isaac and Muhammed ascended to heaven.