This isn’t a post about an Israeli Jim Morrison tribute band.Â
Now that we’ve cleared that up, come with me on a jaunt around Jerusalem.
My favorite thing to do in a new city is to set out upon arrival, all alone and without a map, and just walk until I drop.
Sometimes I’ll be gone all day… covering uncounted miles, eating whatever looks good, turning wherever my whims direct, stumbling upon attractions, curious people-watching and hidden treasures.
Matthew 21:10 — When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
Even though it was freezing and threatening to snow, I immediately set out on just such a rambling journey once I arrived in Jerusalem.
The Old City lends itself to meandering, with its maze of ancient narrow streets aching with thousands of years of painful history.
Judges 1:8 — The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem also and took it. They put the city to the sword and set it on fire.
As one of the oldest cities in the world, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times and captured and recaptured 44 times. Religious significance aside, it’s easy to look at walls and cobbled streets and get completely lost in imagining what atrocities took place in the very spot where you stand.
2 Samuel 11 — One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. (From the story of David & Bathsheba)
My mind raced even as I meandered.
Who lived here? How many thousands of people throughout history stood where I’m standing? Whose footsteps am I walking in? What did they see? How has the city changed since Jesus was here?
1 Kings 10:2 — Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.
I’d say it’s impossible to wander through Jerusalem and not feel overwhelmed by its significance as the birthplace of the three Abrahamic religions – Christianity, Islam and Judaism; then again, I spoke with plenty of travelers (tourists?) during my stay who didn’t seem to get it or feel anything special at all.
They could’ve been in Cleveland.
But I felt it. Like a weight. Or an electric current in the air. A palpable dramatic tension.
The oldest part of Jerusalem was settled in the 4th millennium BC; the walls went up in 1538 under Suleiman the Magnificent. Now the walls define the Old City and its four quarters — known since the 19th century as the Armenian, Christian, Jewish and Muslim Quarters.
Jerusalem may have the most history per inch of any place in the world.
Despite only having an area of .35 square miles (0.9 square kilometers), the Old City manages to squeeze in some of the world’s most significant religious sites –Â the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.
It’s really no wonder Jerusalem has been the site of so much unrest over the years.
We’ll visit all of the major sites here at Angie Away over the coming days, but for now, let’s just stroll the streets together & imagine all that went on here.
It’s my favorite thing to do.
Don’t spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door. –Coco Chanel
God enters by a private door into every individual. –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Knowledge of what is does not open the door directly to what should be. –Albert Einstein
Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next door neighbour. — Gilbert K. Chesterton
Song of Songs 1:5 — Dark am I, yet lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon.
Angie Orth is Angie Away, a globe-trekking communications specialist and entrepreneur. In 2010, she left a successful career as a travel publicist in NYC for the unpredictable life of a freelancing digital nomad. She’s passionate about travel, the Florida Gators, Shark Week, trying everything at least once and storytelling here at https://angieaway.com.
16 thoughts on “The Doors of Jerusalem”
marns
loved it. nice, i never thought the doors were that significant when we visited there 🙂
thanks for the awesome posts.
I’ve just started taking lots of photos of doors and windows too! I can see the locals looking at me with the same expression I give tourists who take photos of the local supermarket. But who cares? I enjoyed the quotes!
Hey Angie you really hit it on the head! After 30 years living in this city (after London) the weight has become too much for me. At first it’s a novelty and then it is a fascination and then it becomes too overwhelming to bear
Hey, this is amazing! Love, love your photographs! I was in Jerusalem a few years ago and I even recognize some of these doors! Please have a look, here is my article about Jerusalem – it contains a compilation of the doors of Jerusalem: Jerozolima. Best greetings!
Wonderful pictures and story. I enjoyed it so much. I want to go there one day soon. It is one of my dreams & on my bucket list. This city shows we can all live in harmony by respecting other’s. Thanks again, great work!
Angie!
I had no idea you had a door fetish like me. It is the absolute favorite thing I do when I arrive in a city as well. Doors, windows, arches and architecture. I love it!! We need to travel together again real soon, we have a lot in common! See you in Dallas soon!
loved it. nice, i never thought the doors were that significant when we visited there 🙂
thanks for the awesome posts.
Thank you for reading!
I’ve just started taking lots of photos of doors and windows too! I can see the locals looking at me with the same expression I give tourists who take photos of the local supermarket. But who cares? I enjoyed the quotes!
Hey Angie you really hit it on the head! After 30 years living in this city (after London) the weight has become too much for me. At first it’s a novelty and then it is a fascination and then it becomes too overwhelming to bear
Gorgeous photos, Angie! I always seem to notice interesting windows and doors when I travel, too. In this case, they really seem to capture the city.
Lovely photo essay! Didi you know that I’m passionate about doors and doorways? 🙂 Hugs dear Angie!
I didn’t know that! Well then consider this post especially for you =)
Hey, this is amazing! Love, love your photographs! I was in Jerusalem a few years ago and I even recognize some of these doors! Please have a look, here is my article about Jerusalem – it contains a compilation of the doors of Jerusalem: Jerozolima. Best greetings!
Very cool post, Tom! Thank you for sharing!
What a great post! I would love to go to Jerusalem. You really captured something special and intimate here!
Keane 🙂
Aw, thanks Keane!
Wonderful pictures and story. I enjoyed it so much. I want to go there one day soon. It is one of my dreams & on my bucket list. This city shows we can all live in harmony by respecting other’s. Thanks again, great work!
Thanks for reading & commenting, Debby!
Wow, the ” Coco Chanel” door is gorgeous!
Angie!
I had no idea you had a door fetish like me. It is the absolute favorite thing I do when I arrive in a city as well. Doors, windows, arches and architecture. I love it!! We need to travel together again real soon, we have a lot in common! See you in Dallas soon!
I do! I love how you can find so much character in the details of a place. We should go on a doorway safari one day!