Shrine of the Book facts for kids
| היכל הספר | |
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| Coordinates | 31°46′24″N 35°12′10″E / 31.77333°N 35.20278°E |
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| Location | Jerusalem |
| Designer | Armand Bartos and Frederick Kiesler |
| Type | Museum |
| Material | black basalt |
| Completion date | 1965 |
| Website | [1] |
The Shrine of the Book (Hebrew: היכל הספר, Heikhal HaSefer) is a special part of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. It is like a super safe home for some of the oldest and most important ancient writings in the world. These include the famous Dead Sea Scrolls and the Aleppo Codex.
Contents
Building History and Design
The Shrine of the Book was built in 1965. A kind family, the family of David Samuel Gottesman, helped pay for it. It took seven years to design this unique building. The main designers were Armand Phillip Bartos, Frederick John Kiesler, and Gezer Heller.
Unique Architecture Explained
The building looks very special. It has a bright white dome that covers a part of the building that is mostly underground. This white dome is reflected in a pool of water around it. Across from the white dome, there is a tall, black basalt wall.
Some people believe the colors and shapes of the building tell a story. They think the white dome stands for the "Sons of Light." The black wall, on the other hand, might represent the "Sons of Darkness." This idea comes from an ancient scroll called the Scroll of the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness.
Protecting Ancient Scrolls
The ancient scrolls kept here are very old and fragile. This means they can easily get damaged by light and air. Because of this, not all scrolls can be shown at once. The museum uses a special system to protect them.
Scrolls are displayed for only three to six months. After that, they are carefully moved to a special storage room. There, they "rest" away from light and air. This helps keep them safe for many more years.
Important Scrolls Inside
The Shrine of the Book is home to some truly amazing documents. One of the most famous is the Isaiah scroll. This scroll is from around 200 BCE (Before Common Era). It is the most complete of all the Dead Sea Scrolls found.
Another incredibly important item is the Aleppo Codex. This book dates back to the 10th century CE (Common Era). It is the oldest complete Hebrew Bible that still exists today. A copy of the original Isaiah scroll is now on display for visitors to see.
In 2013, the Bank of Israel even made a special coin to honor the Shrine of the Book.
Gallery
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Shrine of the Book
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Barack Obama viewing the Dead Sea Scrolls, 2013
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See also
- Tourism in Israel
- List of museums in Israel
- Culture of Israel
