Unforgettable culture of Jerusalem

Source :  Daily Mirror -Life  page C2
(http://www.dailymirror.lk)

Unforgettable culture of   Jerusalem

Monday, 09 January 2012 02:57
By Srimal Fernando

As the most populous city of Israel, Jerusalem has a vibrant cultural life crowded with a   legacy of a rich cultural past .Origin of Jerusalem is ancient and unique that it has been veiled in the mist of time.  For centuries, the city of Jerusalem, and the Holy Land itself, have been treasured in the hearts of three major religions Judaism, Islam and Christianity. The city possesses an enormous cultural richness with uncountable attractions to see and offers an unmatched experience to the travelers. The city is nestled in the Judean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Jerusalem is surrounded by valleys and dry river beds and is the home to people from many different faiths, traditions and ethnicities and is an important cultural and political centre in the Arab world.

 Most of the Jerusalem’s noteworthy historical sites are clustered in the older sector of the City. Jerusalem is dotted with hundreds of synagogues, dozens of churches and mosques having sprawling complexes with towering minarets. The Old City of Jerusalem is surrounded by a wall and divided into Jewish, Armenian, Muslim and Christian quarters. Most of the Christians in Jerusalem belong mainly to the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Jerusalem has been sacred to the Jews from time of King David. The Western Wall is a sacred place for Jews is one of the most recognizable and the best-known monuments in the city that attracts thousands of visitors and worshipers every day. Following the Muslim conquest in 638 AD the Dome of the Rock a shrine located on the Temple Mount and the famous Al Aqsa mosque known as the “Noble Sanctuary” attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. The city is renowned for its rich art and culture as well as intellectual aura of its people. However the 125 square kilometer   Jerusalem city remains one of the core issues in the Israel – Palestine conflict. With the passage of centuries, Jerusalem serve as a source of inspiration to musicians, poets and other creative spirits. Mt. Zion, is in southwest of the Old City, where Mary the mother of Jesus Christ spent her last night. At the same locality is the Room of the Last Supper, where Jesus ate his last meal. Mount Olive is in East of Jerusalem’s Old city. Mary’s tomb, the mausoleum of mother of Jesus is one of the most recognizable and the best-known monuments situated in Mount Olive. There are many exotic places-of-interest in the New City of Jerusalem. Of those the most popular are Israel Museum, the Knesset, Museum of Italian Jewish Art, Yad Vashem, Holocaust Memorial Museum, Russian Compound and the Yehuda market. The city is well-known for its wide variety of exquisite handicrafts, architectural styles, brilliant literary works and for colorful souvenirs. Since the yester years, religious-socio-cultural ceremonies held great importance among the people of the city, although Jerusalem is known primarily for its religious significance.The countries music is a blend of musical elements from a several cultures. The people of the city are known for their love for theatre, films, music and dances.