Journey to the Holy Land

11/12/2013

Basilica of the Annunciation

Built on the spot where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce

Chapel of Ascension

a shrine located on the Mount of Olives, in the At-Tur district of Jerusalem. Part of a larger complex consisting first of a Christian church and monastery, then an Islamic mosque, it is located on a site the faithful traditionally believe to be the earthly spot where Jesus ascended into Heaven forty days after his resurrection. It houses a slab of stone believed to contain one of his footprints.

Church of the Nativity

The Church of the Nativity is a basilica located in Bethlehem, West Bank. The church was originally commissioned in 327 by Constantine the Great and his mother Helena over the site that is still traditionally considered to be located over the cave that marks the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The Church of the Nativity site's original basilica was completed in 339 and destroyed by fire during the Samaritan Revolts in the 6th century. A new basilica was built 565 by Justinian, the Byzantine Emperor, restoring the architectural tone of the original. The site of the Church of the Nativity has had numerous additions since this second construction, including its prominent bell towers. Due to its cultural and geographical history, the site holds a prominent religious significance to those of both the Christian and Muslim faiths.

Dead Sea

Known in Hebrew as the Yam HaMelah (The Salt Sea), the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth at some 420 metres below sea level. It gets its name due to the fact that fish and plants cannot survive the salinity and harsh environment of the sea. The Dead Sea is 67km in length and 18km at its widest point. It’s part of the Syrian – East Africa Rift Valley, hence its low lying location, and is flanked by the Judean Mountains to the west and the Moab mountains to the east. Its main source of water is from the River Jordan in the north and springs and streams from the east and west.

Jerusalem - The Old City

The Old City is a 0.9 square kilometers (0.35 sq mi) walled area within the modern city of Jerusalem. Until 1860, when the Jewish neighborhood Mishkenot Sha’anamin was established, this area constituted the entire city of Jerusalem. The Old City is home to several sites of key religious importance: the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque for Muslims, the Temple Mount and Western Wall for Jews and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for Christians, It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage

Qumran National Park/Masada

QUMRAN, where the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest documents known to man were discovered in 1947. The area was a settlement of the religious sect , the Essenes, who wrote the scrolls and predicted the end of the world to be a battle of the Sons of Darkness and the Sons of Light. MASADA, where the Jews made their last desperate stand against the Romans in 73 AD rising steeply to 1300 ft above the Dead Sea. On the site are relics of Herod's luxurious living

Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, a city on Israel’s Mediterranean coast, is marked by its stark 1930s Bauhaus buildings, thousands of which are clustered in the White City architectural area. The city is also known for its accessible beaches and vibrant nightlife ranging from Lilienblum Street’s lounges to Dizengoff Street’s open-air cafes. Tel Aviv Port’s waterfront promenade is lined with shops and restaurants.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, also called the Church of the Resurrection i.e. Church of the Anastasis by Orthodox Christians, is a church within the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.

Via Dolorosa

The Via Dolorosa is a street within the Old City of Jerusalem, held to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion.

Western Wall

The Western Wall, Wailing Wall or Kotel is an ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a relatively small segment of a far longer ancient retaining wall, known also in its entirety as the "Western Wall".

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