When people talk about Jerusalem they are really talking about the old city, the town first settled in the 4th century BCE, which has been destroyed at least twice, besieged 23 times, captured and recaptured 44 times, and attacked 52 times. Jerusalem itself has grown well past that point, but the old city is still a major part of the town and is not just a site of ancient wonders, but of shops, homes and restaurants.

Jerusalem has more reporters than any other place in the world except for Washington DC, which for a city of well under a million residents would be incredible if not for its conflict and cultural importance.

Western Wall

Also known as the wailing wall, or the Buraq wall (as it is the site Mohammed tied his steed). This site is holy to the Jewish faith because it is the wall surrounding Temple Mount, and because due the restrictions on access to Temple Mount for the purposes of prayer are extremely strict. It is for this reason so many pray on the outside at the Western Wall, considered to have the same sanctity as a synagog. It is held to be built on the foundations laid by King Solomon (though the providence for this is shaky at best). A comparatively recent (18th Century) act is to place notes in the wall’s crevices. The narrative as to the Jewish peoples connection to the wall is hotly contested between more extreme branches of Judaism and Islam.

Water is provided by a number of fountains to cleans yourself for prayer, and tight security restricts entry and exit as well as patrolling the area. As a holy place for three major religions as well as a place of tensions and conflict between the three of them it is considered a high risk location. 

As a secular visitor it is a strange site, seeing how seriously this unremarkable stretch of a wall in a city square is taken by so many, how monumental the approach to it is.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Also called the Church of the Resurrection. Within the church are the final four (or five) Stations of the Via Dolorosa. It has been a major pilgramicdge site since its construction in the 4th Century. Control of the church is divided between a number of Christian denominations.

Prior to its construction as a Christian Church, it was a Roman Temple named Jupiter Capitolinus built over a rock cut tomb. 

As you would expect, it is a vastly popular location, swarming with tourists and pilgrims looking to connect, understand or be enlightened by the location.

Golgotha: Up a small flight of stairs is the Rock of Cavalry or Golgotha, regarded as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. 

Stone of Anointing: Just inside the church is the Stone of Anointing, where Jesus’ body was thought to be prepared. The more spiritual and less health conscious of the pilgrims kiss the stone, thousands of them each day.

Prison of Christ: One of the four proposed sites for where Jesus was held alleged by the Franciscans to be in the Church.

Rotunda and Aedicule: The largest of the domes in the church and in the centre is the Aedicule. The Aedicule has two rooms, the first holding the Angel's Stone, which is believed to be a fragment of the large stone that sealed the tomb; the second is the tomb itself. The queue for this is huge and you get perhaps 30 seconds to see the tomb. The burly monk inside will give you a polite tap on the shoulder when your time is done. Then quickly after a tap on the other shoulder more firmly. If you still refuse to leave, he will drag you out by your hair.

The only real consideration to the conflicts around then comes in the form of an armoured bomb disposal point in the square facing the entrance.

One fascinating historical note is that the Joudeh Al-Goudia family were entrusted as custodian to the keys of the Holy Sepulchre by Saladin in 1187, and the family maintains that guardianship and duty today and still open and close the church.

Jaffa Gate

The Jaffa Gate is one of the seven main gates into the Old City of Jerusalem. The gate has a classic L shape to frustrate attackers. Made, like the city walls, of large stone blocks.

Tower of David

Also known as the Jerusalem Citadel, the Tower can be seen from outside the city walls, and is one of several parts of the iconic Old City. Started in the second century BCE, it was added to over the centuries before it came its current appearance.

Cardo

The main Roman thoroughfare, running North to South as the generally do, a small copy of the Madeba map can be seen. Much of the Cards is covered by the street, braced by columns on both sides, but some is open to the air.

The columns are a striking part of the road, and can be seen even on the map in Madeba from the 6th Century.

Hurva Synagogue

The Synagogue on this spot has been destroyed several times and was most recently rebuilt and dedicated in 2010, a memorial arch being in place for decades before hand.

Church of the Redeemer

The second Protestant church in Jerusalem, in its basement there is an archaeological park allowing visitors to explore two thousand years of history.

Mosque of Omar

Built in 1193 to commemorate the prayer of the caliph Oma and is one of the two mosques (Al-Khanqah al-Salahiyya being the other) that flank the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with near identical minarets.

Dome of the Rock

Is the Islamic shrine located on Temple Mount, completed in 692 CE and is one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture. The foundation stone it was constructed over is considered by the Jewish faith as where God created Adam and where God told Abraham to sacrifice his son to prove his faith. Like Mecca for Muslims, it is the direction Jews turn to pray. 

For Muslims, it is holy because of the belief that Muhammad's journey to heaven started from the rock at the centre of the structure, and as an Abrahamic religion they inherit the myths of the Jewish faith.

Despite this, they are not granted access to the Dome of the Rock, except in special circumstance, as one of the limited tourists and never to pray.

Surprisingly, considering its importance to the jewish faith, the Israeli government supports the restrictions.