Jerusalem
| Jerusalem
| |
|---|---|
| Country | Israel |
| Settled | Before 2000 BC |
| Population | 882,652 |
| Area (sq mi) | 48.323 sq mi |
| Population density (/sq mi) | 18,000 sq mi |
| Current mayor | Nir Barkat |
Jerusalem (in Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם and in Arabic أورشليم القدس) is the capital of Israel as well as an important city for Judaism and Christianity, along with Islam. Although most of the international community refuses to recognize that it is Israel's capital city, some countries do recognize its status, most importantly the United States since U.S. President Donald Trump made that announcement on December 6, 2017.[1]
It is considered holy by Jews as their ancient capital and home of their most holy site, the Temple Mount, as well as by Christians for its association with Christ and the Crucifixion, and by Muslims as the location of the Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem was unified under Israeli control after the Six-Day War of 1967; it had, between Israeli independence in 1948 and 1967, been divided between Israeli West Jerusalem (some 55 km2) and East Jerusalem (some 70 km2). The Knesset (the Israeli Parliament Building) is located in West Jerusalem as well as the Museum of the Holocaust.
The Old City (0.9 square kilometers) was, until the 1860s, the entire city of Jerusalem. It is at present part of East Jerusalem.
Quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem
There are four quarters in the Old City:
- The Muslim Quarter which is the biggest one; the Dome of the Rock (home of the Al Aqsa Mosque) and Temple Mount are located here.
- The Jewish Quarter with the Wailing Wall (also known as the Western Wall).
- The Christian Quarter, where churches, monasteries and shines line the Via Dolorosa.
- The Armenian Quarter which is the smaller one.
Although not equal in size, the four quarters form a rectangular framework. The street running from the Damascus Gate to the Zion Gate divides the city into east and west. The street leading from the Jaffa Gate to the Lion’s gate divides it from north to south.[2]
See also
External links
References
- ↑ President Donald J. Trump's Proclamation on Jerusalem as the Capital of the State of Israel. White House (6 December 2017). Retrieved on 6 December 2017.
- ↑ [1]
