Why has Jerusalem exerted such a powerful hold on people worldwide over the course of millennia? The simple answer is that for many followers of the three Abrahamic faiths—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—Jerusalem is where the presence of God dwells and the Last Judgment will take place. It is the meeting point of heaven and earth—the locus of divine and human interaction. For this reason, throughout history imperial powers have fought over control of Jerusalem, which in the last century has become a flashpoint in the struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. This course examines Jerusalem’s historical background, religious significance, politics, and geography, using works by Israeli and Palestinian artists to illustrate how visual, literary, and musical texts engage with the real and imagined city.