| Jerusalem is the capita of Israel and, if including the area and population of East Jerusalem, its largest city in both population and area, with a population of 763800 residents over an area of 125.1 km2 (48.3 sq mi). Located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern edge of the Dead Sea, modern Jerusalem has grown far beyond the boundaries of the Old City. Jerusalem is a holy city to the three main Abrahamic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In Judaism, Jerusalem is the holiest city and has been the spiritual center of the Jewish people since, according to the Torah, King David of Israel first established it as the capital of the united Kingdom of Israel in c. 1000 BCE, and his son Solomon commissioned the building of the First Temple in the city. In Christianity, Jerusalem has been a holy city since, according to the New Testament, Jesus was crucified in c. 30 CE and 300 years later Saint Helena found the True Cross in the city. In Islam, Jerusalem is the third-holiest city, and has been a holy city since, according to the Quran, it become the focal point for Muslim Salah (prayers), known as the First Qibla, in 610 CE, and Mohammed made his Night Journey to the city ten years later. As a result, and despite having an area of only 0.9 square kilometer (0.35 square mile), the Old City is home to sites of key religious importance, among them the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock ... |
