Palestinian Authority: Pilgrimage, Sciences and Sufism

Islamic Art in the West Bank and Gaza, with 216 color illustrations and 25 plans.

This travel guide and survey to Islamic art, architecture and culture in the West Bank and Gaza shows the treasures in their historical and cultural context. It includes descriptions of the items on display, an historic and artistic introduction, itineraries and practical information.

Itinerary I. Jerusalem and the Haram al-Sharif: the Qibla of Palestine
Itinerary II. Sufi Institutions in Jerusalem
Itinerary III. Jerusalem: the Centre of Religious Study and Knowledge
Itinerary IV. A Journey into the Wilderness
Itinerary V. The Course of Khans and of Sufism
Itinerary VI. Nablus: the City of Hammams and Soap
Itinerary VII. The Pilgrimage Road between Jerusalem and Hebron
Itinerary VIII. Hebron: the City of Abraham
Itinerary IX. Gaza: the Gate to Africa

Explores a period during the reigns of the Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottoman dynasties, when large numbers of pilgrims and scholars from all quarters of the Muslim world came to Palestine. This strong tide of religious sentiment gave scope to the development of Sufi thought through the madrasas, zawiyas and ribats, which multiplied throughout the land. Gathering the greatest, most learned persons, many popular centers enjoyed considerable prestige and encouraged the spread of a rarefied art that still today maintains all of its power of fascination. The Islamic monuments and architecture put forward by this exhibition clearly reflect the major dimensions of pilgrimage, sciences and Sufism.

Museum With No Frontiers carries out art, architecture and archaeology exhibitions where the pieces are not displayed in a closed space - but rather, where the monuments, places, and objects are presented in their place of origin and within their historical and cultural context.