Jerusalem Architecture

Jerusalem has captivated the world for over 2000 years. This book surveys the revered city's architecture, from the earliest remnants of old Judea, Rome, and Byzantium, through the glories of Islam and the Crusader kingdom, to the pragmatically conceived neighbourhoods built outside Suleiman the Magnificent's 16th-century ramparts, in the years since World War I. The author dwells at length on the city's chronological development, with detailed analyses of the great temples constructed by King David and King Herod, the Romanesque/Gothic Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Dome of the Rock shrine, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the circle of magnificent fortifications erected by Sinan (Suleiman's favourite architect), and the colourful, tiled palaces of the Mamluks. Also explored are the old Jewish, Christian, Armenian and Arab quarters inside the old walls of the city and, in particular, the harmony and simplicity of Arab domestic architecture.