Easter is one of the best times to visit Jerusalem, as the city is alive with Christian pilgrims and there's as great atmosphere as the events of the crucifixion are remembered.
Most of the sights worth seeing in Jerusalem lie within the walled boundaries of the Old City on the slopes of Temple Mount. This area is dominated by the golden dome of the Chruch of the Holy Sepulchre and the silver dome of the al-Aqsa Mosque. Close by is the western wall - commonly known as the Wailing Wall - of the old Jewish Temple. Within more or less a single square mile lie sites that are crucial to Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is a focus of particular devotion at Easter time, as it is supposed to mark the spot where Jesus' body was interred before he rose from the dead. The church is well worth a look around, and not just because of its religious connections. For years it has been the site on an ongoing feud between various Christian sects. As long as a thousand years ago the the great Muslim leader Saladin - at that stage in charge of Jerusalem - tried to stop the bickering between Catholic and Orthodox clerics by entrusting the keys of the church to a Muslim family. This same family remains in charge of opening and closing the basilica to this day. Who controls which bit of the church has also been hotly fought over. One area of 'neutral' ground is the doorway. Dramatic evidence of this neutrality is the so-called Immovable Ladder - a short wooden ladder that was placed on a balcony above the doorway at some point in the early nineteenth century. Its owner was clearly shooed away by a member of the opposite camp, and the ladder has remained there ever since.
Beyond the church there's a great deal to see and do in the Old City. The old walls are surrounded by parkland which is fun and relaxing to explore. The streets, which are narrow and cobbled, are lined with souvenir shops and cafes. There are plenty of green areas and shady spots to take a break in the heat of the day and to get away from the crowds - Jerusalem has been attracting visitors for two thousand years, and they show no sign of losing their enthusiasm!
Jerusalem and the Holy Land (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Assassins: Assignment: Jerusalem, Target: Antichrist (Left Behind No. 6)
Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (Penguin Classics)
The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem
Streetwise Jerusalem Map - Laminated City Center Street Map of Jerusalem, Israel - Folding pocket size travel map