Jerusalem Architecture a Witness of a Rich History

Distinctive Architecture

Jerusalem is a city rich in architecture with various histories etched in its walls , from the Greeks to the Byzantines –Romans to the Coptic Egyptian up until the Islamic empires.^[1]

Anywhere you go in the city, its distinguished architecture can be noticed. Jerusalem mosques, churches, murals, decoration, layout, walls, domes, pavilions, platforms, arches, gates, minarets, roads, markets, terraces, baths and many other landmarks stand as witness to its rich and flourishing history.^[2]

The Beginning

The architectural planning of the city dates back to the Roman civilization (BCE). It was designed on the system of network or square cities called “Hypo-Dami” which mainly means a regular shaped city, usually walled, interrupted by a main street from the north to the south called “Cardo” that intersects with sub- streets, east to west, called “Deco Manus.”^[3] The most important historical document chronicling the architectural aspect of Jerusalem in the Roman period and showing its features is the map that was discovered on the floor of a church in the city of Madaba Jordan, 1938. Madaba Map shows Jerusalem’s markets, churches, streets, walls and other landmarks.^[4]

Historical Measurement

Architecture plays a key role in recording Jerusalem’s holiness and Arabic character. Therefore, Israel has long aimed at changing the city’s architecture and imposing a Judaization policy to prove the Jewish historical connection to Jerusalem.^[5]

Architecture highlights the different Islamic empires. It demonstrates how rich, civilized, and powerful each era was, to what extent the rulers cared about Jerusalem, and what role Jerusalem played in the empire. Even riots and natural disasters can be recorded in the architecture of the city.

All of the successive Islamic eras dedicated a budget for Jerusalem’s architecture whether for construction, repair, or renovation projects. While the most beautiful architecture dates back to the Umayyad era, most of Jerusalem’s buildings go back to the Mamluk era, then the Ottoman era and lastly to the Ayyubid era. Rulers were racing to connect their names to Jerusalem’s architecture, beginning with the Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan, passing through the Abbasid Mansour, the Fatimid Mahdi, Saladin Al-Ayoubi, Muhammad Ibn Qalawun, Suleiman the Magnificent and ending with King Hussein.^[6]

Many Purposes

Architecture in Jerusalem serves many purposes; its main purpose is the religious significance of the city. Therefore, churches, mosques, religious schools, monasteries, shrines, and pilgrims’ hotels are designed to serve a religious function and have an aesthetic purpose. However, the most important purpose of the city’s architecture is the national one, which shows the Arab, Islamic and Christian character of Jerusalem. Architecture stands steadfast as physical proof of Jerusalem’s historical connection to Palestine, not Israel. This was the main reason behind the illegal policy of occupation to change the Arab features of the city through a process of systematic Judization.^[7]