Israel, April 14, 2026 – The central religious sites of the three monotheistic religions in Jerusalem's Old City have reopened in recent days. These include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Western Wall, and the Temple Mount with the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

On Thursday, thousands of Jews, Muslims, and Christians came to Jerusalem's Old City to pray at the city's most important holy sites. Jerusalem's Old City is home to central religious sites for all three monotheistic religions, thus playing a special role in religious life in the region and far beyond.

"Especially in the currently challenging times, the opening of the holy sites in Jerusalem speaks of spiritual connection, and Jerusalem's unique significance as a city of the three religions becomes particularly visible," says Ksenia Kobiakov, Director of the Israel Government Tourist Office for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

The Israel Government Tourist Office is providing accompanying current image and video material documenting the special atmosphere of recent days. This includes impressions of various traditional foot-washing ceremonies of Orthodox communities in Jerusalem, including the Ethiopian Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox Churches. The recordings illustrate both the city's religious diversity and the peaceful coexistence of the different faith communities during the Passover season.

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About the Israel Government Tourist Office in Germany:

Whether it's round trips, city breaks, bathing, wellness, active and cultural trips, rental car tours, or family holidays: the Israel Government Tourist Office provides information about the various regions, cities, and sights in the Holy Land. Israel is located in the Eastern Mediterranean and is no more than a four-hour flight from most parts of Europe. The country offers a sunny climate, a wide variety of historical, archaeological, and religious sites, and a captivating contrast between ancient and modern. In Israel, visitors are welcomed with traditional hospitality that dates back to biblical times. goisrael.com

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