Jerusalem International YMCA - Jerusalem, Israel
Posted by: 
ashberry
N 31° 46.454 E 035° 13.289
36R E 710366 N 3517559
The Jerusalem International YMCA, with its elegant arches, domes and 152-foot observation tower, is a city landmark.
Waymark Code: WM14MPM
Location: Israel
Date Posted: 07/27/2021
Views: 1
"The Jerusalem International YMCA, with its elegant arches, domes and 152-foot (46 m) observation tower, is a city landmark. It is acknowledged as a center of cultural, athletic, social and intellectual life in Jerusalem, fostering harmony and building the spirit, mind and body.
With the aid of donations from the United States and Manchester, England, a plot of land was purchased from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, and in 1928, the cornerstone was laid by Lord Plummer, the British High Commissioner for Palestine. On April 18, 1933, the new home of the Jerusalem YMCA was dedicated by British General Edmund Lord Allenby. The neo-Byzantine-style complex was designed by Arthur Loomis Harmon, architect of the Empire State Building. It is a sermon in stone, rich in symbolism.
Decorative elements represent the three monotheistic faiths. The 12 cypress trees in the garden, for example, signify the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 disciples of Jesus and the 12 followers of Mohammed. This theme is repeated inside the auditorium and gymnasium, with 12 windows lighting the domes and 12 stone arches rising above the balconies. The 40 columns in the courtyard symbolize both the Children of Israel's 40 years of wandering in the desert and the 40 days of the temptation of Jesus; their capitals are embellished with images of the flora, fauna and people of the land.
Three inscriptions, Jewish, Christian and Muslim, are engraved on the building's façade: "The Lord our God the Lord is One," in Hebrew, on the right; "I am the way," in Aramaic in the center; and "There is no God but God," in Arabic on the left."
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Rooms at the Three Arches Hotel are single, double, triple or suite. All are equipped with air conditioning, cable TV, safe and daily cleaning. Visitors to the hotel have many activities offered for free: swimming pool, squash, gym, library. rooftop terrace, WiFi and free parking. The remarkable YMCA observation tower provides unrivaled panoramic views of Jerusalem.