Since I was 19, I’ve DREAMED about going to Israel. I bugged my husband for the last 11 years for him to take me to see the Holy Land. Last November, my dreams came true and he took me on my dream vacation! Now that I’ve been back in the states and have reflected over my experiences, I am here to share the top 10 things to see in Jerusalem! Some of my list contains things in the old city and others are things to see from right around the old city.

1. The Temple Mount

First up on my list of top 10 things you should see while in Jerusalem is the Temple Mount. When you drive into Jerusalem, it is nearly impossible to miss The Temple Mount. This is probably what you envision when you think of Israel. You see the old temple walls and the Dome of the Rock – which is an iconic structure upon the visualization of the modern day land of Israel.

This spot has SO much rich history for many groups. For the Jews and Christians, it is where Abraham took Isaac to sacrifice him, the spot where Solomon’s temple was, and the place where Jesus got upset with the merchants in John 2:13-22. For the Muslims, this is believed to be the spot where Muhammad ascended to the “Divine Presence”. You can read more on the history here.

Whether you are a Jew, Christian, or Muslim – the Temple Mount is sure to have significance to you.

My Experience: It was overwhelming to see the Temple Mount in person. I did not get to walk up to the Dome of the Rock or even get close to it – I do not identify as a Muslim. My husband and I had a really hard time in Jerusalem because of his beard… so we decided not to try and get close to the Dome of the Rock.

2. The Western Wall

The Western Wall is also known as the “wailing wall”. This is the western support wall for the temple mount and dates back to 20BC. Many people come to The Western Wall daily to pray and put prayers in the wall. It is a FREE thing to do in Jerusalem – but you must be dressed appropriately.

My Experience: The western wall was slightly smaller than I had imagined it in my head, however – other than the size, it looked just as I expected it to. I went to the women’s side of the Western Wall and filled out a prayer card. I prayed and put my prayer in one of the crevices of the wall – along with millions of other little slips of paper. It was a very emotional experience for me and everyone around me. Many ladies set up chairs close to the wall so they could pray for extended periods of time with their hands on the wall.

3. The Mount of Olives

The Mount of Olives overlooks the Old City of Jerusalem. It gets its name from the olive trees that used to cover it years ago. The Mount of Olives is a great spot to see many significant spots from scripture – the garden of gethsemane, the Chapel of the Ascension, the Church of the Pater Noster, and the Tomb of the Prophets. You can read more about The Mount of Olives here.

My Experience: It is really hard to choose a favorite spot in Israel because it is all so incredible. This is probably my second favorite spot that we visited. It was AMAZING to experience. One of the things our tour guide pointed out to us was the path that Christ took on his way to be crucified from the viewpoint at the top of The Mount of Olives. The realization of how FAR and how UP HILL Jesus had to go with his cross on his back had my breath catching and I had a hard time controlling my tears. It was a major realization for me!

4. The Chapel of the Ascension

The Chapel of the Ascension is a church and a mosque where Muslims and Christians agree that it is the spot where Jesus Christ made his ascension into heaven. Inside the chapel, you can see a Jesus’ footprint. Read more about The Chapel of the Ascension here.

My Experience: I felt that it was very powerful that this was a place that both Christians and Muslims can come and worship. I thought that it was really neat to see that the Muslims also agree that it was the sight of his ascension. I touched Jesus’ footprint on the mountain and the entire experience was very moving. OH, to have seen him ascend!

5. The Garden of Gethsemane

The Garden of Gethsemane is the place where Jesus prayed right before being betrayed by Judas Iscariot.

“They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, when he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Mark 14:32-34

My experience: This looked EXACTLY as I had always imagined it would. It was powerful and eerie and incredible. I wanted SO BADLY to go and sit under the trees and pray. To imagine myself being next to Jesus praying along side him. BUT… it’s blocked off with gates and you can’t get inside.

6. Old City Market

The markets in the Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four different sections: The Christian Quarter, The Muslim Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. There are streets and streets filled with various shops with all kinds of souvenirs and delicious treats!

My Experience: I loved walking through these old city market streets!! I found a remarkable difference between each quarter – we could tell exactly which quarter we were in and the moment we crossed over into it. Each quarter smells different and has a very different vibe in it. Don’t misunderstand me – I didn’t feel like I was in danger in ANY of the quarters. There was just a noticeable difference between them!

7. The Various Gates

There are seven main gates in the Old City of Jerusalem and each are a sight to see. We visited the Jaffa gate the most – as that’s where all of our tours started!

8. The Jewish Cemetery

On The Mount of Olives, you can see a giant portion of the land below you filled with white tombs. This is called the Jewish Cemetery. There are over 70,000 graves all lined up on the side of this mountain and holds many famous Jews from over the years.

We learned on our tour that the number of rocks that are on top of a tomb indicates how famous the person that is buried there was. Some tombs were filled up with rocks on top!

9. The Sanctuary of Dominus Flevit

This is a Catholic church that is in the shape of a teardrop to remember the place where Jesus wept over the future fate of Jerusalem. Inside the church there is a cross that lines up directly with the Dome of the Rock.

“But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.” Luke 19:41-44

10. The Church of the Pater Noster

The last place on my list of top 10 things to see in Jerusalem is The Church of the Pater Noster. The Church of the Pater Noster was built by Constantine on top of a cave in the 4th century. The cave is the traditional site where Jesus taught his disciples The Lord’s Prayer.

In the Church of the Pater Noster, you can see the room that Jesus taught the disciples the Lord’s Prayer and you can also see The Lord’s Prayer in 62 different languages!

Those are my top 10 things to see in Jerusalem! I can not adequately describe how incredible it was to be in Jerusalem and the only thing I regret is not spending enough time there! I, honestly, could probably move to Israel and not get tired of it.

Other places that I did not get to see that I WILL see next time:

• The Tomb of the Prophets
• The Upper Room
• Garden Tomb
• Holy Sepulchre
• King David’s Tomb
• Hezekiah’s Tunnels
• Pool of Bethesda

Other awesome things that I did see but didn’t make my top 10 things to see in Jerusalem:

• Tower of David
• City of David

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