Jerusalem's Cultures

Jerusalem’s Different Cultures

This quote was used to describe vividly what Jerusalem is made of, “There is a magical quality about the Old City of Jerusalem that does not exist anywhere else in the world. Perhaps it is due to the glorious history of the towering stone walls and ancient buildings, or the sacred atmosphere that surrounds the holy sites of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim religions.” (The Old City of Jerusalem, Israel). The Old City is split into four quarters, the Armenian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, and the Christian Quarter. The quarters are not physically divided, but citizens know the difference between the different cultures. Many ancient cultures have named Jerusalem their home, and explore the foundations of Athenian, Jewish, Muslim, Christian.

One quarter is called the Athenian Quarter. This quarter is small, but holds an important beautiful aspect in the Old City. In this quarter, is the most beautiful church in the world, called the St. James Cathedral. This church is built on the ground where the Byzantine Church once stood. In the middle of the church, a dome and four pillars let the light from the sun shine in the church on the paintings, which make it appear more beautiful. There is a Patriarchate, which is an office for the male head of a family, in the southwest corner of the Old City. This building holds one-sixth of the city. The Armenian Patriarchate, The Brotherhood of St. James, and the Greek and Roman patriarchs, are the main guardians of the Dominical Sites, the holiest sites in Christendom. These statements are from an author from an article, “ In the dominical sites in Jerusalem, the patriarchate occupies the monastery of St. James located in the Armenian quarter.”...

... middle of paper ...

...their own way. They all have churches, sites, and many religious things that make them so distinguished. These quarters all make a living off of the residents in Jerusalem who love the mystery of the history there. “The enchanting quality of Jerusalem may also come from the colorful markets and narrow alleyways, or from the city’s dynamic history - a history woven with war and peace, love and hate, destruction and resurrection.” (The Old City of Jerusalem, Israel).

Works Cited

"The Old City of Jerusalem, Israel." Www.goisrael.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. (The Old City of Jerusalem, Israel)

"Patriarchate of Jerusalem." Armenian Church. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. (The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem)

"Four Quarters of the Old City - Jerusalem 101." Four Quarters of the Old City - Jerusalem 101. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014. (Jerusalem 101)