Christianity
Jerusalem is the birthplace of Christianity. It was the location of the Last Supper, Jesus’ final meal with his 12 disciples. Within the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City is the Via Dolorosa, the Path of Sorrows, which is believed to be the path along which Jesus Christ carried his cross to Calvalry. The Old City is also home to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which marks the location of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. The Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge in Jerusalem, is also believed to be the location of Jesus’ ascension to heaven. The Crusaders battle to capture Jerusalem, and their control of the city from 1099 to 1187, demonstrate the city’s importance to Christianity.
Islam
Jerusalem has long played an important role in Islam. In the Prophet Muhammad’s first teachings in the early 7th century he instructed his followers to pray toward Jerusalem. Only later did worshippers turn toward Mecca. Muslims believe the Dome of the Rock, located on the Al Harim al Sharif (or Temple Mount), is the spot where Muhammad ascended to heaven. Al Harim al Sharif, which also houses the al-Aqsa Mosque, is considered the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina. Jerusalem was under Muslim rule from the 7th through 11th centuries and again from the late 12th through mid-20th centuries.
Judaism
Jerusalem is regarded as the holiest city in Judaism. Jews believe Abraham, the first patriarch, was prepared to sacrifice his son, Isaac, on the Temple Mount. In 1000 B.C., King David unified the Israelite tribes and established Jerusalem as their capital. The site of Abraham’s act later became home to the First Temple, which housed the tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments. The First Temple was destroyed, but the Second Temple was later built on the same site. All that remains of the Second Temple is a section of wall known as the Western, or Wailing, Wall, the holiest site in Judaism. Mount Zion, located near the Old City, is also home to the tomb of King David.