As a city with a history of about 4000 years, Jerusalem contains some fascinating architecture dating back to different periods.

Without going into the many archaeological digs, one may note the following standing structures of importance:

2000 years old- the Western Wall of the Jewish Temple, today the most important Holy Site of the Jewish religion.

1300 years old- the Dome of the Rock and el-Aqsa Mosque: two of the most important Holy Sites of the Islamic religion.

1000 years old- the Holy Sepulchre and the Monastery of the Cross- two of the most important Holy Sites of the Christian religion.

Almost every denomination of Christianity has built a church in Jerusalem, each one in accordance with its own style, so that one can find a really amazing collection of different types of church architecture.

When turning to secular buildings one finds a variety ranging from traditional Arab dwellings to Ottoman tiled roofs to Bauhaus European and the latest in modern glass and concrete design. Much of Jerusalem is built using the local limestone blocks, which give the city a special  character as the stone weathers over the years, turning gold and sometimes pink. This  is why the city is  often called Jerusalem the Golden.