Jerusalem, stone and spirit: 3000 years of history and art

For more than 3.000 years, Jerusalem has inscribed fascinating pages in the annals of humankind. From the time it was established as the capital of Israel by King David around 1004 B.C. until it was proclaimed the new capital of the State of Israel in the mid-20th century, Jerusalem was the arena of countless events; these events to a large extent reflect the history of human culture. In Jerusalem King Solomon built the Temple, and there the Prophets of Israel preached, and their teachings influenced the ways of thinking and the principles of morality of the entire Western world; the Greek and Roman empires left an impressive mark upon the city: Jesus preached and disseminated his gospel in Jerusalem, and also made his final appearance there; the Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to heaven from Jerusalem, and for this reason they have erected magnificent mosques there and declared it a holy city. More than any other city in the world, Jerusalem has served as a source of inspiration and a focus of longings for millions of people from a diversity of cultures and religions the world over, and as a major subject for innumerable artists. In the pages of this book, with its integration of a fascinating historical text and spectacularly beautiful artworks collected especially for this purpose from all over the world, Jerusalem reveals itself as a unique blend of reality and imagination, matter and spirit. The quality of the printing and the production accord the book a resplendent and impressive appearance, and open a window upon Jerusalem's glorious and incomparable past.