Excursion «516. Hanukkah in Jerusalem. Meeting with Jerusalem Santa (with a visit to Santa's house!)»

At this part of the city located  its main attractions are concentrated. In the Old City are the main shrines of three religions: Muslim, Jewish and Christian. There are also several quarters in which Jews, Arabs, Christians and Armenians live. Despite the fact that Armenians also are Christians, separate services are held for them in temples, and they live separately. In the Armenian quarter there are practically no tourist excursions. Everyone can see the stunning monuments of ancient architecture, just a walk through the Old Town. The Tower of David, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the preserved Roman shopping street, the Wailing Wall and many other sights of Jerusalem are open for tourists.

In the old part of the city of Jerusalem stands an ancient building that has survived for several thousand years, where the chamber of the Last Supper is located. On the ground floor of this building is the tomb of King David. He was a great king, the brightest figure of the Old Testament. He united Israel into a powerful, powerful state, making Jerusalem its main capital, and established the Ark of the Covenant on Mount Zion. Before his death, David handed over to his son Solomon the means and all the necessary drawings for the construction of the First Temple. He is revered both in Christianity, and in Judaism and in Islam.

The Western Wall or the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem is the wall preserved after the destruction of the First and Second Temples of the Jews. The Arabs, who saw how the Jews grieve over the destruction of the temple, called this place the Wailing Wall. Currently, there is a tradition: when you standing at the front of  Wailing Wall you can  make the most secret dreams. You can also put a note between the stones of the Wall with a cherished desire, which will certainly come true. When you are planning to visit the Wailing Wall, it should be remembered that this is possible only in modest clothing that covers the knees and shoulders.

In Jerusalem, in the Jewish Quarter, is the Hurva Synagogue, there is a landmark with a long dramatic history.
The synagogue was founded in the early seventeenth century. The Jews had to borrow money from the Arabs to build it, but they failed to repay the debt for twenty years. As a result, Muslims destroyed the synagogue. Only in the second half of the nineteenth century the restoration of the building take place. However, this time it did not stand for long either - in the middle of the twentieth century the synagogue was again destroyed by Arab troops. After more than half a century, the synagogue was built again, its opening took place in the spring of 2010.
The new synagogue is beautiful, both outside and inside. In the basement of the building are stored ancient finds discovered during archaeological excavations - every guest has the opportunity to look at them from a special balcony.