Biblical city
Jerusalem
Jerusalem · Judea
The city of David and the site of the temple, Jerusalem stands at the center of Israel's worship, the prophets' warnings, the crucifixion and resurrection, and the birth of the church. Its Old City still contains the Temple Mount platform, the Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
History in Scripture
Jerusalem appears first as Salem in Genesis 14 and as a Jebusite stronghold that David captured and made his capital around 1000 BC. Solomon built the temple here; Babylon destroyed city and temple in 586 BC; the returned exiles rebuilt under Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah, and Herod the Great enlarged the second temple on a vast platform. Jesus taught, was crucified and rose here, and the church was born here at Pentecost before Rome levelled the city in AD 70.
The ancient city
The city sits on limestone ridges between the Kidron and Hinnom valleys, defensible but dependent on the Gihon spring — the reason for Hezekiah's tunnel, still walkable today. It was never a commercial hub like Tyre or Damascus; its importance was religious and royal, the place where God set his name.
The site today
Jerusalem remains a living city sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims. The Western Wall, the Temple Mount, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Pool of Siloam and the City of David excavations can all be visited, and the Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Key passages
Sources & notes
Description summarizes standard historical and archaeological reference works. Imagery is added separately and is labeled by type.