Jerusalem

An expansive history of Jerusalem as a cultural crossroads, and a fresh look at the urban development of one of the worlds most mythologized cities. Jerusalem is often seen as an eternal battlefield in the clash of civilizationsand in endless, inevitable wars of religion. But if we abandon this limiting image when reviewing the entirety of its concrete urban historyfrom its beginnings to todaywe discover a global city at the worlds crossroads. Jerusalem is the common cradle of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, whose long and intertwined pasts include as much exchange and reciprocal influence as conflict and confrontation. This synthetic account is the first to make available to the general public Jerusalems whole history, informed by the latest archaeological finds, unexplored archives, and ongoing research and offering a completely renewed understanding of the citys past and geography. This book is an indispensable guide to understanding why the world converges on Jerusalem.