Old City of Jerusalem

Basic Information

Type

City

Governorate

Jerusalem

Region

Jerusalem

Historical Significance

The Old City stands on the site of ancient Jerusalem, with evidence of human habitation dating back over 5,000 years to the Bronze Age. It is sacred to Muslims as the site of Prophet Muhammad's Night Journey and Ascension (Isra' and Mi'raj), making the Haram al-Sharif the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina. For Christians, it contains the sites of Jesus' crucifixion, burial, and resurrection at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. For Jews, the Western Wall represents the last remnant of the Second Temple. The city's layered history encompasses Canaanite, Israelite, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, early Islamic, Crusader, Ayyubid, Mamluk, Ottoman, and British periods — each leaving architectural and cultural imprints. Under international law, the Old City is occupied Palestinian territory where Israel, as the occupying power, has obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention to protect the civilian population and cultural heritage.