Using a rare 1945 map preserved in the collections of the National Library of Israel, we have created a guide to Iran from another era, a journey through picturesque cities, sacred sites, and a geopolitical landscape seasoned with a dash of Iranian grandiosity.
A “Pillbox” Tour of Jerusalem With the British Mandate Police
In 1920, the British Mandate authorities established the Palestine Police Force. Come take a step back in time as we trace the history of this key institution through rare photographs and period maps—focusing on its distinctive presence across Jerusalem.
So What’s the Plan, Jerusalem?
Countless urban plans have been drawn up for Jerusalem over the years, but the Holy City, and history itself, always seemed to have plans of their own…
A True Jerusalem Story: The Failed Raid of the Lost Ark
More than a century ago, a group of English treasure-hunters showed up in Jerusalem with the most ambitious of goals: They were determined to find the treasures of the ancient biblical kings, no less. This grand quest and its strange results made sensational headlines in newspapers around the globe, not to mention the riots that erupted across the city…
Mapping 50 Years of Zionist Pioneering
The desert was pushed back, the swamps were dried up and water reached every corner of the land – this historic map celebrated 50 years of the Zionist enterprise…
Drawing Moses… From the Sublime to the Ridiculous
A glimpse into how artists across the ages have tried to depict the undepictable events at Mt. Sinai…
The Age of Discovery as Reflected in Antique Maps
The Age of Discovery led to the broadening of human knowledge about the geography of the world we live in and landscapes and peoples in faraway regions in America and Asia. These discoveries are reflected in antique maps preserved in the National Library
How a Map Torn From a Newspaper Helped Decide a Critical Battle of the Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War of 1973 was utter chaos. Armored corps soldiers who joined the battle in the Valley of Tears on the Golan Heights were not familiar with the terrain and couldn’t find a proper map to guide them, so they improvised…
A Bahrain Mystery in the National Library Collection
A mysterious 80 year old document which recently surfaced in our collections emphasizes the geopolitical significance of Bahrain. But what is it doing here?
Jerusalem Pre-1967: A Look at Maps from Both Sides of the Border
In honor of Jerusalem Day, the Eran Laor Cartographic Collection invites us to take a look at the maps that defined the city prior to its reunification.
