Jerusalem

View of Jerusalem from high up, with the golden roof of the Dome of the Rock mosque clearly visible among the largely white buildings. In the foreground a group of people is looking at the view from a hilltop Jewish cemetary

View from Mount of Olives across Jewish cemetary and Kidron Valley
The view of the Old City from the Mount of Olives is one of the best in Jerusalem to get the full panorama of the sites.

Ancient, gnarled olive trees in an informal grassed area

Garden of Gethsemane
Following the Last Supper, Jesus withdrew to the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples to pray. It was here that he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot with a kiss. The garden itself is approximately 2000 years old, filled with olive trees and is the largest site that has been identified as Gethsemane.

Overview of Jerusalem Old City and Temple Mount, sloping down into the Kidron Valley and up again to the Mount of Olives

Temple Mount, Kidron Valley and Mount of Olives
An overview of the Old City and Temple Mount, sloping down into the Kidron Valley and up again to the Mount of Olives. Temple Mount is built on Mount Moriah, where Abraham would have sacrificed Isaac, subsequently the site of the First and Second Temples, and now containing the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Jesus Christ made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday from the Mount of Olives, at whose base lies the Garden of Gethsemane. Ancient Jewish and Muslim cemetaries can be seen on the right-hand side of the picture.

Absalom's tomb (left, middle distance), a small white building with conical roof, with Jerusalem's white city walls curving through the foreground and visible in the background

Absalom's tomb in the Kidron Valley just outside the Old City walls
Within the Kidron Valley is the traditional tomb of Absalom, the Third son of King David. Amnon, David's oldest son, is killed by Absalom for raping his sister, Tamar. Absalom then has himself declared king in Hebron. He attacks his father, but is defeated and, against David's command, is killed by Joab.

David laments "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" The tomb is described as a place of prayer for all parents whose children have 'gone astray'.

The silvery dome of the Al Aqsa mosque on the left, looking out towards the Mount of Olives in the background, with old, tumbledown walls of white stone blocks in the foreground

Al Aqsa Mosque and Mount of Olives
View of the silvery dome of the Al Aqsa mosque looking out towards the Mount of Olives.

The valley rises to the left of the photograph while small shrubs cover its floor all the way from the foreground to a white stone building visible in the the distance

Kidron Valley
One of the two valleys that lie just outside the city walls of Jerusalem, an ancient burial place. There are very old Jewish and Muslim cemetaries nearby, and a few Orthodox graves in the valley itself.

This is the valley where the blood from the sacrifices of the First and Second Temples was piped to.

Gold dome of the Dome of the Rock mosque, a blue tiled building, framed by trees

Dome of the Rock
View of the exterior of the Dome of the Rock, with the iconic gold dome, the exterior walls decorated with mosaics, tiles and stained glass with quotations from the Qur'an.

The pillars in the foreground are traditionally where scales will be hung on Judgement Day to weigh the souls of mankind. Inside the Dome is the rock from which Muhammad ascended to Heaven, during his night journey to Jerusalem.

Market stalls are set up in a covered alleyway with a high, arched ceiling. An arched doorway in the background lets some light in, and electric lights are strung across the alley

Souk
One of Jerusalem's myriad markets, bustling with smells and noise and colourful wares. Each of the Quarters of the Old City has a distinctive atmosphere in its markets.

Icon of Jesus on the cross, carvings, candles and an eclectic selection of shiny ornaments are set up in the church

Church of the Holy Sepulchre interior
Built upon the highest point in the Old City, there was originally a Roman temple dedicated to Venus on the hill. When the Emperor Constantine's mother Helena discovered the tomb of Jesus on the site, believed by many to be Golgotha, a Church was built there in the 4th Century.

Today the church is a snapshot of the diversity of the Christian Church, with areas allocated to many different denominations. The present church was built in the 12th century by the Crusaders.

Old stone walls 15 metres tall, the remaining walls of the Second Temple. Jewish worshippers are gathered at the base of the huge wall, some wearing prayer shawls and standing up against the stone

Western Wall
The most important site in the world for Jews, the 15 metre high (50ft) walls are the only remaining stone blocks still standing from the Second Temple. Symbolically, it has remained for 2000 years following the Roman sacking of the city, and has inspired prayers and reverance.

It is sometimes known as the Wailing Wall because Jews gathered there to show their sadness at the ruin of the Temple.

Domed church roof with a golden Christian cross at the apex

Roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Jerusalem's skyline bustles with the symbols of many different faiths and faith communities.

Ernie Rea, Philip Billson and Phil Booth standing in front of the stone walls of the church

Outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
In 2007 the Daily Service made a week-long Three Faiths Pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Six pilgrims from the UK - two from each Abrahamic faith - visited the holy sites and shared insights from their scriptures.

Daily Service presenter The Reverend Ernie Rea, Series Producer Philip Billson and Senior Audio Supervisor Phil Booth record Thursday's Daily Service in the hot sun outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Dr Musharraf Hussain and Rabbi Dr Alan Unterman standing in front of the stone walls of the church

Outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Dr Musharraf Hussain and Rabbi Dr Alan Unterman, two of the contributors on the Daily Service Three Faiths Pilgrimage, converse in the square outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Contributors sit on the roadside. Left to right: Christine Morgan, Canon Chris Chivers, Anjum Anwar, Dr Musharraf Hussain, Rabbi Dr Alan Unterman, Becky Harris, Ernie Rea, Phil Booth (obscured) and Philip Billson

Contributors overlooking the Kidron Valley
Contributors to the Daily Service Three Faiths Pilgrimage overlook the Kidron Valley.

From left to right: Executive Producer Christine Morgan, Daily Service presenter Canon Chris Chivers, Anjum Anwar, Dr Musharraf Hussain, Rabbi Dr Alan Unterman, Daily Service presenter Becky Harris, The Reverend Ernie Rea, Senior Audio Supervisor Phil Booth (obscured) and Series Producer Philip Billson (seated).

Daily Service contributors standing in front of sunlit church domes. Left to right: Rabbi Dr Alan Unterman, Philip Billson, Dr Ed Kessler, Dr Musharraf Hussain, Anjum Anwar, Becky Harris, Christine Morgan, Canon Chris Chivers, Charlotte Kirby, Ernie Rea and Phil Booth

Outside the Church of St Peter Engallicantu, overlooking the Kidron Valley
Contributors and crew from the Daily Service Three Faiths Pilgrimage in front of the domes of the Church of St Peter Engallicantu.

From left to right: Rabbi Dr Alan Unterman, Series Producer Philip Billson, Dr Ed Kessler, Dr Musharraf Hussain, Anjum Anwar, Becky Harris, Executive Producer Christine Morgan, Canon Chris Chivers, Broadcast Assistant Charlotte Kirby, The Reverend Ernie Rea and Senior Audio Supervisor Phil Booth.