Village sights in Jerusalem
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Mea She'arim
A throwback to older times, Mea She'arim was developed by ultraorthodox Eastern European immigrants who modelled their Jerusalem home like the ones they remembered back in Poland, Germany and Hungary. Despite their transition to the Holy Land, residents have maintained the customs, habits and dress of 18th-century Eastern Europe.
This includes conservative dress, black fedoras for men and floor-scraping dresses for women. Even in the height of the Middle Eastern summer it's still customary to wear thick padded coats and fur hats. You might even have the sense that you've stumbled upon an Eastern European shtetl (ghetto) of the 1880s.
In a few of the most traditional famili…
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Christian Quarter
Jerusalem's Christian Quarter is an attractive blend of clean streets, souvenir stalls, hospices and religious institutions belonging to 20 different Christian sects. At its centre stands the Holy Sepulchre, and everyone, tourists and pilgrims alike, tends to be drawn towards it.
As you enter from Jaffa Gate, the first two streets to the left - Latin Patriarchate Rd and Greek Catholic Patriarchate Rd - indicate the tone of the neighbourhood, named as they are after the offices there. The roads lead to St Francis St and in this quiet area around New Gate the local Christian hierarchy resides in comfort.
Heading straight across Omar ibn al-Khattab Sq you'll find a narrow pas…
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Armenian Quarter
Somewhat shuttered behind high walls and enormous wooden doors, the Armenian Quarter of Jerusalem plods along unnoticed, as it has for centuries. If the very presence of an Armenian Quarter strikes you as a bit odd, consider that Armenia was the first nation to officially embrace Christianity when their king converted in AD 303. They established themselves in Jerusalem sometime in the following century.
The Kingdom of Armenia disappeared at the end of the 4th century and Jerusalem was adopted as their spiritual capital. They have had an uninterrupted presence here ever since.
The core of the quarter is actually one big monastic compound. The Armenian presence in Jerusalem …
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Old City
In the late afternoon, with the sight of golden light bleaching the ancient stone buildings, the sound of church bells clanging in the distance, the smell of spices wafting out of the bazaars and a distinct awareness of tension in the air, the Old City really is a feast for the senses. Within its mighty walls you can sleep in 700-year-old edifices, haggle over everything from souvenir T-shirts to ancient artefacts and taste the delectable food of the Levant.
But far from being merely ancient and spectacular, the Old City is above all a holy place, containing a number of sites sacred to Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The Western Wall, the Dome of the Rock and the Church …
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Mamilla
The most refined piece of real estate outside the Old City is Mamilla, a lump of land due west of Jaffa Gate that is dominated by the King David Hotel. The area includes parks, gardens, some of the best hotels in the city and rows of affluent homes overlooking the golden walls of the Old City.
Mamilla was developed in the mid-19th century as the first residential neighbourhood outside the Old City walls. Commerce was brisk and expansion went unabated until 1948 when war broke out and a line was drawn between Arabs and Jews. For 19 years the valley between east and west Jerusalem was a sniper-targeted no-man's-land. The unification of the city had Mamilla back in the sight…
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Russian Compound
Between Jaffa Rd and HaNevi'im St and dominated by the green domes of the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Russian Compound was acquired by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1860. In addition to the cathedral, facilities were constructed here for the many pilgrims from Russia who visited the Holy Land until WWI. The cathedral (closed to the public) occupies the site where the Assyrians camped in about 700 BC, and in AD 70 Roman legions assembled here during the Jewish Revolt.
In front of the cathedral, the 12m-high Herod's Pillar is believed to have been intended for the Second Temple; however, it cracked during chiselling and was abandoned here.
Nicknamed 'Bevingrad' by the J…
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East Jerusalem
Predominately Arab East Jerusalem occupies the land that before 1967 belonged to Jordan. The old border between Israel and Jordan was HaShalom Rd (aka the Bar-Lev Line). East of the line, the major roads running north and south are Nablus Rd and Salah ad-Din St; in this area you'll find the Rockefeller Museum, the Garden Tomb, the Museum on the Seam and St George's Cathedral, among other sites.
During your rambles, make sure to visit the American Colony Hotel, one of the top hotels in Jerusalem and a historic attraction. Legend has it that when the Ottomans finally surrendered the city to British rule, the Turkish governor of Jerusalem snatched a sheet from one of the bed…
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German Colony
Lounging in a coffee shop, sipping lattes and reading Ha'aretz newspaper seems to be the main daily activity for residents of Jerusalem's German Colony. The pleasant, tree-lined neighbourhood of Arab villas and European homes was built in the late 19th century and has always carried an air of affluence. It continues to attract a mix of moneyed foreign investors and students looking for a nook in a coffee shop to work on their studies.
Evenings (with the exception of Friday) are a pleasant time to stroll here and experience some of the best restaurants in the city.
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Ein Kerem
When political tensions heat up in the City Centre, residents retreat to Ein Kerem, a pretty village of Arab-built stone houses surrounded by Lebanese cedars and native pine trees. Apart from its peaceful, pastoral setting, Ein Kerem is home to several important churches related to John the Baptist; it has a clutch of excellent restaurants; and a handful of art studios and the Chagall Windows at Hadassah Hospital are not too far away.
It's busiest on weekends when locals descend on the place for brunch.
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Armenian Compound
About 1200 Armenians now live in what used to be a large pilgrims' hospice. The compound became a residential area after 1915 when refugees from the Turkish massacres settled here. The empty, wide courtyards are a rare sight in the Old City. It is usually open to visitors during daylight hours, but it can close without notice, so its best to call ahead or ask at the entrance to St James' Cathedral to make an appointment for a visit.
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