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's famous for holding very old and important writings. These include the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls and the Aleppo Codex.
Contents
History of the Shrine
Building the Shrine
The Shrine of the Book was built in 1965. A kind family, the Gottesmans, helped pay for it. Architects Armand Phillip Bartos, Frederick John Kiesler, and Gezer Heller designed this unique building. It took them seven years to plan it!
Unique Design and Meaning
The building has a white dome that looks like a lid. Most of the building is actually two-thirds underground. A pool of water surrounds the dome, making a cool reflection. Across from the white dome, there is a tall black basalt wall.
Some people believe the building's colors and shapes tell a story. They are based on an ancient scroll called the War of the Sons of Light Against the Sons of Darkness. In this idea, the white dome stands for the "Sons of Light." The black wall represents the "Sons of Darkness."
Protecting Ancient Scrolls
The ancient scrolls kept here are very delicate. They cannot be shown all the time because light can damage them. So, the museum uses a special system. Scrolls are displayed for about three to six months. Then, they are carefully moved to a dark, special room. This allows them to "rest" from being exposed to light.
Important Treasures Inside
The Shrine of the Book is home to some amazing historical items. One is the Isaiah scroll, which is part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. It was written around 200 years before Jesus was born. This scroll is the most complete of all the Dead Sea Scrolls found.
Another treasure is the Aleppo Codex. This is the oldest complete Hebrew Bible that still exists. It was written around the year 930 CE. Today, a copy of the original Isaiah scroll is on display for visitors to see.
In 2013, the Bank of Israel even made a special coin. This coin was created to honor the Shrine of the Book.
Images for kids
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The Shrine of the Book building
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Barack Obama looking at the Dead Sea Scrolls in 2013
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See also
In Spanish: Santuario del Libro para niños
- Tourism in Israel
- List of museums in Israel
- Culture of Israel
