Jerusalem center of the world map

Die ganze Welt in einem Kleberblat (The entire World in a Cloverleaf). Jerusalem is in the centre of the map surrounded by the three continents.

The Bünting Clover Leaf Map, also known as The World in a Cloverleaf, (German title: "Die ganze Welt in einem Kleberblat/Welches ist der Stadt Hannover meines lieben Vaterlandes Wapen") is a historic mappa mundi drawn by the German Protestant pastor, theologian, and cartographer Heinrich Bünting. The map was published in his book Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae (Travel Book of Holy Scripture) in 1581.

Today the map is found within the Eran Laor maps collection in the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem. A mosaic model of the map is installed on the fence of Safra Square at the site of Jerusalem's city hall.

The map is a figurative illustration, in the manner of the medieval mappa mundi format, depicting the world via a clover shape.[1] The shape symbolizes the Christian Trinity and also appears in the coat of arms of Hanover, where Bünting was born. The city of Jerusalem is represented as the centre, surrounded by three central continents, with some more areas of the world being accordingly illustrated separately from the clover.

Description[edit]

The dimension of the map is 38 by 30 centimeters.

Jerusalem is in the centre of the map surrounded by the three continents of Europe, Africa, and Asia, comprising three leaves of a clover shape.[2] The top-left leaf shape coloured in red represents Europe, the bottom one coloured in yellow represents Africa, and the top-right one coloured in green represents Asia. The three continents include captions of their various countries and illustrations of some of their cities. Europe includes one illustration of the Italian city Rome, the continent of Africa includes illustrations of three cities with one being the Egyptian city of Alexandria, and Asia includes illustrations of nine cities.

The clover is surrounded by the ocean, with its surface including illustrations of sea creatures, monsters, and a ship. England and Denmark—as perhaps the tip of the entire Nordic countries—are represented as two island-shapes above Europe’s leaf. The Red Sea is illustrated between Africa and Asia, painted in red. America is represented as a separated, mostly unrevealed shape at the lower left corner, coloured in green like Asia, with the caption Die Neue Welt (The New World).

PBS documentary Jerusalem: Center of the World—which airs Wednesday, April 1—isn't a pilgrimage-on-film, but it's not a bad place to start.

The title is partly inspired by medieval European maps in which Africa, Asia, and Europe are shaped like three petals attached to the center, Jerusalem. Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, a "compass" marks the center of the world. This film shows that the city is, rather than the geographic center of the world, a focal point of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—which together account for more than half of the world's population.

A map depicting Jerusalem in the middle

Ray Suarez, senior correspondent for The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, narrates Jerusalem's religious history as he pats the sides of Israel's ancient ruins and wades through a tunnel dug beneath the city during Hezekiah's reign. European paintings—many by Rembrandt—and Islamic illustrations fill in as Suarez and a colorful group of religion experts explain how Jerusalem became so important.

The film starts with Abraham leaving Ur at a time when Jerusalem was already settled by Canaanite tribes. The documentary embellishes biblical history, adding in traditions that say, for example, that Jerusalem is also where God created Adam.

Suarez goes into the details of the destruction and rebuildings of the Jewish Temple. Jesus' short life is given about 15 minutes of the two-hour run time. For viewers who know what happens up to 70 A.D.—and then nothing—it will fill in some big gaps.

The second half of the film explains how the city came to look as it does today, if you can keep up. Toward the end, the pace picks up as Suarez lists how "the world's most contested piece of real estate" changes hands among multiple Christian and Muslim rulers.

Christians, Muslims, Jews, and others fought, came, and went, sometimes leaving Jerusalem little more than a tourist trap. Mark Twain found it an unappealing, sleepy place when he visited. The Romans, after nearly wiping out the Jewish population, expelled the rest; Saladin's Muslims let them re-settle.

The Western Wall

The documentary does go outside Jerusalem to Masada, the fortress Herod the Great built for himself. It was the last holdout of the Jews against the Romans. The 900 people inside killed their families, each other, and then themselves to avoid the consequences of capture by the Romans. Today, it is held up as an example of Jewish heroism.

Those who have visited the Holy Land will recognize the churches, the handprints to put your hand in, the long lines of tourists following the Via Dolorosa, and the Hasidim at the Western Wall. But the film documents no reminders of the economics of tourism; no one tries to sell Suarez laminated posters of Jerusalem when he's on the Mount of Olives. There are no shots of women silently praying in the closest tunnel wall to the former Holy of Holies or of ultra-Orthodox Jews in black Crocs. Suarez's walk through Hezekiah's tunnel doesn't involve the squealing youth groups who will be there for most pilgrims.

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In fact, more than two million tourists—most of them arriving between March and October—came in 2008 to the places where Suarez walks alone. This may be the best view you'll ever get of the Dome of the Rock.

One of the most interesting interviews in the film is with a Muslim who holds the keys to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church makes the news semiannually for the physical fights its multi-denominational priests get into. Here, doorkeeper Abed Judeh explains why his job is necessary and how the keys have been passed down in his family for generations. The film shows priests shutting the ancient doors from the inside as Judeh locks them for the night.

That's about as close as Suarez gets to the tense relationships in contemporary Jerusalem, although he does end by pointing out a plaque in the Garden Tomb asking visitors to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. The film clinically explains controversies such as Palestinian-Israeli relationships, even as missiles fly fewer than 70 miles from the city.

Nor does the documentary explore the complexity within each religion. Suarez, an Episcopalian, treats religion respectfully, exploring Jerusalem's complex religious relationships without favoring one group over another. Still, the documentary seems tone-deaf to some Christian themes; for example, there is no mention of Christ's divinity until after Suarez narrates the Crucifixion—odd, since the Gospels, the only source on Jesus' life, say Christ claimed divinity during his public ministry.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Likewise, rather than depicting Abraham as a faithful man to whom God revealed himself, Rabbi Elie Weinstock characterizes him as a megachurch pastor who just figured out there must be a single Creator and "as a spiritual seeker, he was certainly up for a journey." The meaning of the Resurrection is reduced by another expert, Guy Massie, to "the faithful man is rewarded"—not exactly what Paul means when he says Jesus was vindicated by his Resurrection.

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But if you're looking for history rather than theology, Jerusalem: Center of the World will be helpful. The documentary probably has some new information, even for those who've been to Jerusalem. It is worth watching for the pleasant, engaging way it untangles the relationships and history of David's city.

Susan Wunderink is international editor at Christianity Today magazine.

Talk About It

1. Which parts of the history of Jerusalem are recorded in the Bible? Why do you think some parts were left out?
   
   
2. How do you think God wants people to think about the place where Jesus lived?
   
   
3. If you found the places where Jesus died and was buried, what would you do with them? Would you build a church around them? A garden? A fence?
   
   
4. Do you think it's important for Christians to go to places that are important in the Bible? Why or why not?
   
   

The Family Corner

The film is not rated. There's nothing sexual or violent in the film, and it's appropriate for all ages—though young children would likely find it boring.

Is Jerusalem in the Centre of the world?

Why is Jerusalem called the center of the world?

Is Israel in the middle of the world?

Which country is in the center of the world?