Considered as one of the holiest places in the world, Jerusalem has transformed from a city of ancient ruins and monuments to a modern-day marble. Part of the city’s charm and mystique lies with its rich history that makes it a place of great religious and spiritual importance to the Jewish people.
Jerusalem – Five Millenia of History
According to scholars, the first human settlers in Jerusalem arrived at the ancient city at around 3500 BC, in the Early Bronze Age. 2500 years later, in 1000 BC, King David entered Jerusalem and conquered the city, making it the Jewish People’s capital. King Solomon, who was King David’s son, was the one who built the first Holy Temple in Jerusalem, 40 years after the arrival of his father to the city.
During the centuries that followed, Jerusalem was invaded and conquered by several people: in 586 BC, Babylonians occupied the holy city, and during their reign over Jerusalem, the Babylonians destroyed the Holy Temple, and they were followed by the Persian King Cyrus, who allowed the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem.
In the time of Cyrus, the second Holy Temple was built, but there was no peace in the land; Jerusalem continued to be a target for occupation, and it was conquered several times by Persians, Arabs, Romans, Crusaders, Islamists, Mamelukes, and other people.
When the Romans invaded Jerusalem, they destroyed the second Holy Temple, exiling the Jews to all corners of the world. For centuries, the Jews longed to return home, and Jerusalem took on a religious significance not only for them but also for Christians and Muslims. It is the location where Jesus walked to his execution, where the Dome of the Rock stands, and the place where countless historical events occurred in nearly every corner of the beautiful and ancient city.