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Click to enlarge.
The Western Wall, or Kotel, in Jerusalem's Old City is the holiest spot in the Jewish religion. Above it, on the site of the Holy Temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, stands the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's holiest sights. When you add in Christianity as well is it any wonder that this tiny piece of land is one of the most hotly contested in the world?
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32 comments:
Thanks for the tour. Hope to see this place in the future.
That was actually the basis for a Tom Clancy novel once upon a time. His idea was to make it a nexus of peace rather than one of conflict.
Who knows? It might work. If we could stop killing each other over things that we all essentially agree on maybe we'd find some other way of resolving what we disagree on.
But I think we're all in agreement that you've gotten a marvelous photo here...
it sure does photograph well doesn't it!?:-)
Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing. :)
Robin,
your world has some beautiful architecture I am so glad you posted this!
Postcard perfect photos. I remember inserting my prayer request note in the wall. Years later, I don't remember what I wrote. I'm sure God took care of it, anyway. ;-)
Paz
Wow - that's a gorgeous photo! All the ones I took of that angle never came out as clear as yours!
Ahhhh Jerusalem... big sigh!
WOW! Thank you for these pictures! They are amazing! I have to show them to my sons' when they wake up tomorrow morning. Now mine seems so small next to that LOL I don't think anyone can beat this sight. Thank you and Happy WW!
Just wondering, of course after I sent my other comment, but does it ever lose it appeal since you live there? I just think that you are so lucky to be there, near something so holy, and just wanted to say that =) Have a wonderful night!
It's a pretty spectacular place, no matter how many times you see it. Jerusalem has a magic all its own. I wouldn't want to live there (now that's a post for another day) but I do love to visit.
There is no doubt that this is a holy place, and one for a big part of humanity.
I really enjoy seeing Jerusalem through your eyes. I have seen some documentaries on TV and there are quite alot of Greek people who go there for Easter or to be baptised on the river Jordan, but I appreciate it in a different way now.
Many thanks. And peace to you.
It is a wonder? You'd think the holiest spot in the world would be the most peaceful and loving.
Beautiful photos!Happy WW!
irina
I hope I get to visit someday.. Jerusalem seems so Holy.. :) Nice photo..
Robin, your pictures are a great perspective on this holy site. I've only ever seen close ups of the wall, not the bigger picture.
How beautiful. You take the most beautiful photos. I have never seen anything like that.
Happy WW from Sara @ the Mostly Wordless Wednesday H.Q.!
Great photos!!! Such a wonderful area of the world, isn't it?
My wordless is posted. There is a direct link at the top of my blog post that will take you to my wordless photo if you'd like to skip the test I provided above it. Happy Wednesday.
oh you are one lucky girl!
Beautiful Place... Amazing how something so wonderful can be surrounded by conterversy.. Simply breathtaking
i'd love to visit one day....so nice
Super photo. It would be wonderful if it were a spot of lasting peace and one of holiness for all who lay claim to the land.
Hey Robin I forgot to leave a link for my WW so here I am again!
it's no wonder--great shot of the Wall and the Dome.
I agree, no wonder!
Would LOVE to see that one day.
Beauiful pictures Robin!
Beautiful! Happy WW to you. :)
Great shot you got.
I'm anxious to see your future post of reasons not to live in Jerusalem.
And how right you are about us now seeing things as meme fodder.
Sorry I did not see this post earlier or comment sooner.
To be accurate, the holiest spot in the Jewish religion is on TOP of the Temple Mount.
The holiest place on top of the temple mount is the location of the former second Temple.
And the holiest place within that space is the place where the Holy of Holies was located and where only one person, the High Priest, was allowed to enter on one day a year, Yom Kippur.
The Dome of the Rock was built over what we call the "foundation stone," from where the earth was created by God.
The Western Wall only gained religious significant in modern times, when access to the Temple Mount was banned to Jews.
Even during the Byzantine (Christian Roman) era (approx 300-600 ce), when Jews were banned from Jerusalem, Jews stood on the EASTERN side of the Temple Mount, on the Mount of Olives, so that they could look onto the Temple Mount as they prayed. And, during the 9th of Av, the day the Jews mourned the destruction of the Temple, and the one day the Byzantines allowed them into Jerusalem, the Jews prayed on TOP of the Temple Mount, amidst the ruins of the Temple.
During future Muslim Rule, there was actually a synagogue on top of the Temple Mount (of course, its roof was lower than the Al Aqsa mosque, since no Jewish building could be highter than a Muslim one). Still, the place where Jews went to pray was still on TOP of the Temple Mount.
I am not certain when the focus switched to the Western Wall, but I could find out for you.
Nonetheless, there is no source that places the holiness of the Western Wall above that of the Temple Mount.
History lesson over.
ps. Man, I really have to post about our tour of the Temple Mount, on the morning before Pesach!!
I love seeing these pictures of a place of read and heard so much about.
Wish I can visit this place in the future :)
Happy WW!
Beautiful. Powerful.
I think it would be overwhelming to actually visit the wall in person. So much blood has been shed over that piece of land. What gorgeous photos you have taken.
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