The Holy Land has a long and rich history (a brief review is presented here). It is Holy to several religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Samaritanism, Druze Faith, and Baha’i), and so bears many significant places of worship. Also being the state of the renewed Jewish presence in the land of Israel in modern times, it presents several very significant sites relating to the history of the State of Israel. Here is a list of the top 10 sites to visit in Israel, in descending order.
1. The Western Wall
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2. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
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3. The Dome of the Rock
Although the religious sanctity of the Temple Mount may have begun already in Canaanite times, since the 7th Century CE, the Temple Mount is exclusively sacred to the Muslims. The Muslim claim is that a dent in the rock preserved to this day in the middle of the Temple Mount bears the footprint of Mohammad when he ascended to the Heavens to receive from Allah the prayers of Islam. The Dome of the Rock, completed in 691 CE, is truly an architectural marvel, and also the oldest Muslim public building that is still standing. Visiting the Dome of the Rock however is only permitted to Muslims.
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4. Masada
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5. Yad Vashem
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6. Independence Hall
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7. City of David
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8. Capernaum
The humble fishing village at the shores of the Sea of Galilee called Capernaum (Hebrew for “The village of Nahum”), became the home of Jesus about 2000 years ago, in his formative years of establishing the Christian faith. The New Testament records many events and miracles in and around Capernaum, making it a major Christian pilgrimage destination in later periods. Today the site is maintained by the Franciscan Catholic Order, and it features a few siginificant archaological discoveries from Roman and Byzantine times: a big and highly ornate synagogue, a contemporaneous octagonal Church whose floor was decorated with a mosaic, private homes, and many artifacts.
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9. Mount Bental
10. Israel Museum
Opened in 1965 in the heart of Jerusalem, the Israel Museum is probably the most important museum in Israel, and it presents various collections. Most significant and popular sections of the museum are the Holy Land Archaeology Wing, the Jewish Art and Life wing, the display of the Dead Sea Scrolls (“Shrine of the Book”), and the 1:50 scale model of Jerusalem before it’s destruction by the Romans in 70 CE.
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