Israel is not only a beautiful country that attracts tourists and pilgrims of different religions, but also home to some greatest sanctuaries in the world. The best way to start your exploration of the country is to visit Jerusalem. This city is home to holy shrines of the three main religions in the world. Christians come to kneel down to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Judaism followers visit Jerusalem to see Wailing Wall and Muslim people come to see The Dome of the Rock. Besides religious sanctuaries, there are several art galleries, museums and exhibitions in the city. Yad Vashem is one of the most famous museums in the city. It was open in 1953 in the memory of Jewish people who were killed during the Second World War. Nowadays, the museum exhibits numerous sculptures and pictures, and often hosts different modern art exhibitions.
Neot Kdumim is quite an unusual park. The Biblical Landscape Reserve has only plants and trees that are mentioned in the Bible. In the park, you will see Lebanon cedar, myrrh, hyssop and frankincense. Galilea region is also a beautiful place, where visitors will see not only picturesque forests and fields, but also several cosy villages, ruins of synagogues and churches.
Don’t forget to visit the city of Akko and see its main landmark – Hospitaller Monastery. The monastery occupies large territory and has a large system of underground channels. A narrow tunnel that starts in the underground eating room can lead you to the port district. Al-Jazzar Mosque is a famous landmark. There is a priceless artefact in the mosque – a flock of hair of Prophet Muhammad.
The ancient city of Haifa is home to numerous magnificent temples. The main places of interest of the city include the Baha’i Temple, the tomb of St. Elijah and Carmelite Monastery located in the mountains. Tiberias is an ancient city that was founded more than 2 thousand years ago. It is an important tourist destination. Visitors come there to see ruins of old quarters and the Hammat Tiberias Synagogue. The synagogue is one of ancient buildings that have managed to survive. Built in the 4th century, the synagogue is famous for magnificent mosaic with many holy symbols. The mosaic depicts menorah, ark of God, lulab and other important symbols of Jewish culture.
Safed is a relatively young city in Israel but no less interesting. It is distinguished by unusual architecture – the majority of buildings in the city are painted in blue colour. Locals believe that this helps to protect them from the evil eye. Blue buildings surrounded by high mountains look particularly attractive.
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Cities and sights of Israel
