Jerusalem of Above - A Tour of Hidden Rooftops and Overlooks in Jerusalem

Jerusalem of Above

A Tour of Hidden Rooftops and Overlooks in Jerusalem

Have you seen Jerusalem from a bird’s eye view?

You are going to embark on a heavenly tour of Jerusalem—Jerusalem of Above.

We will start on the Old City Ramparts Walk and see how all of Jerusalem unfolds in front of our eyes. The Ramparts Walk is definite must. We will be mesmerized by the unique views of the sites and buildings in the Old City of Jerusalem. Don’t forget your camera! See our Rooftop Album. In our opinion, this is one of the essential places to visit in Jerusalem.

We will continue to King David’s Tomb and ascend to a breathtaking observation point on the rooftop. From there we will walk to a rooftop above the Old City’s markets, at the highest point of the Old City’s rooftops. When one climbs up the stairs to this rooftop, the bustling merchants’ noise suddenly fades away and the magic of the city is visible from above. This rooftop is at the intersection of all four quarters of the Old City—Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Armenian. The division into quarters is typical of many Roman cities. The main road—the Cardo Maximus—goes from north to south, i.e., from the Damascus Gate to the Zion Gate and perpendicular to the Chain Gate to the Temple Mount.

It is quite easy to spot the differences between the various quarters. To the southwest is the Armenian Quarter with its 2,300 inhabitants. Only a small part of the quarter is actually visible since most of the Armenian Quarter is enclosed with high walls. To the west, above the Decomanus, with the Arab shuk (market) directly below us, the Tower of David rises up near the Jaffa Gate, and to the northwest is the Christian Quarter with its 5,000 inhabitants and the grey dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher at its center. The red color of the roof tiles dominates this quarter, reminiscent of medieval Europe. To the northeast is the Muslim Quarter with it 22,000 residents. It is characterized by round domes and many, many antennas. To the southeast is the Jewish Quarter, with over 3,500 residents, and lots of white, since this quarter was renovated and rebuilt after the 1967 Six Day War. In total, some 33,000 people live in the Old City.

Finally, we will conclude the tour with a panoramic overlook towards the Western Wall.

In this tour we will hear why Jerusalem is sacred to each of the major monotheistic religions. We will visit their holy sites and receive an impression of daily life and the imprint they left in architecture and urban design throughout historical periods. In addition to attempting to understand Jerusalem’s sanctity in the eyes of each of the major monotheistic religions, we will visit the new excavations and tunnels in the City of David, enter recently opened lesser-known sites, and conclude at the Western Wall Plaza.