Jerusalem cultural definition

Capital of Israel and largest city in the country, located on a ridge west of the Dead Sea and the Jordan River (see also Jordan River). (See also under “The Bible.”)

• The site of the city has been occupied since the Bronze Age.
• It was the capital of the ancient Hebrew kingdom under the kings David and Solomon.
• Known as the “Holy City,” it is sacred to Jews (see also Jews), Christians (see also Christian), and Muslims.
• Conquest of Jerusalem was the goal of the early Crusades during the Middle Ages.
• After the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan. Following the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1967, Israel annexed the remainder of the city.
• The city is famous for its many sacred sights and shrines, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock.

A holy city for Jews (see also Jews), Christians (see also Christian), and Muslims; the capital of the ancient kingdom of Judah and of the modern state of Israel. The name means “city of peace.” Jerusalem is often called Zion; Mount Zion is the hill on which the fortress of the city was built.

• Jerusalem and places nearby are the scenes of crucial events in the life of Jesus. (See Bethlehem and Calvary.)
• The “New Jerusalem” is mentioned in the Book of Revelation as the heavenly city, to be established at the end of time.