In ancient times, Jerusalem was seen as the center of the
physical world. Presently, it is the spiritual center for three
of the world’s major religions. The many imaginings and re-
imaginings of this holy city have inspired the creation of
countless pieces of art, poetry and prose, and have certainly
influenced mapmaking. Based on sacred and historic texts,
personal accounts and, of course, artistic musings, these maps
and other artifacts provide a window into the real, spiritual
and imagined world of Jerusalem. Imagining Jerusalem marks the
20th anniversary of an important donation of antique Holy Land
maps by James C. and Adina P. Simmons of Tel-Aviv, Israel, and
Tallahassee, Florida. The exhibition coincides with the Jewish
festival of Hanukkah, which celebrates the rededication of the
Jewish Temple (The Second Temple) after its desecration by the
Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the second century BCE.
Imagining Jerusalem presents antique maps, historic photographs
and rare books depicting, idealiz