Jerusalem

In 1838, Jerusalem was desolate and forsaken, a remote provincial town of the Ottoman Empire which pilgrims visited at their peril. By 1898, it had been transformed into a modern city in which six European Powers - Russia, France, Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy - had each established their political presence. Its holy sites had been rebuilt, systematic archaeological excavations had begun, new churches, monasteries, convents, synagogues and mosques proliferated. The population had trebled, and immigrants hurried to its new prosperity and safety.
The story of these sixty turbulent years is told, and illustrated, by Martin Gilbert, who has been studying the period and collecting photographic and documentary evidence for more than a decade. He reveals and explains not only the rediscovery and revival of one of the most famous cities of the world, but also the way in which the seeds of twentieth-century dissension were sown.

História Geral / Geografia / História