With Easter today, Ramadan continuing until April 9 and Passover later this month, we take a look at Jerusalem, a city that is the heart and soul of many peoples, religions and histories.
Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world with history dating back to the fourth century B.C. King David established it as the capital of the Jewish nation in 1000 B.C., and today Jerusalem is sacred ground for nearly half of the people
Bethlehem WEST BANK
GAZA STRIP
EGYPT
Ramallah Jerusalem
ISRAEL 0
Dead Sea
JORDAN 40 miles
The partition of Jerusalem is one of the most emotional issues in the Middle East. Arabs and Jews see the city as their capital.
Jerusalem city line
Since World War I
1917: British occupy Jerusalem, make it the capital of Palestine.
1948: Israel captures western Jerusalem. United Nations calls for the city to be internationalized, but Arabs reject the resolution. Jerusalem is divided into Israeli and Jordanian sectors.
1967: Israel takes control of the rest of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War.
2.5 miles: The length of the wall surrounding the Old City
7: Number of gates in the current Old City wall, not including two sealed (shown at right).
3 million: Number of tourists who visited Jerusalem in 2012
1,578: Public gardens and parks in Jerusalem 60: Museums in Jerusalem 26: Wineries in Jerusalem 24: Average age of population (in 2015) on Earth. It is considered a holy city by: 15 million Jews
2.3 billion Christians
1.8 billion Muslims
There have been 118 conflicts in and for Jerusalem over the past 4,000 years.
Arab-occupied land Jewish-occupied land
In 2024, Jerusalem’s population is about 983,087, according to a census conducted by World Population Review. In 1950, the population was 120,895.
Armenian Quarter
The Armenians settled in Jerusalem in the fourth century for religious reasons.
Jerusalem has been conquered 44 times. It has been besieged 23 times, destroyed twice and has seen 11 transfers from one religion to another. It has changed hands peacefully only twice.
64% Jewish 2% Christian 34% Muslim
JEWISH QUARTER
The esplanade is the size of 24 football fields
Dung Gate 1538-40 Named for its proximity to the refuse dump site used for hundreds of years under Ottoman rule.
Golden Gate (sealed) The Ottomans sealed this gate in 1541 A.D.
Huldah Gate (sealed)
The original gate to the city built in the Herodian period (first century B.C.); was rebuilt during the Umayyad period in the 700s.