“Jerusalem Knights in the Old City”

 

The City of Lion

An international festival in the spirit of medieval times, inspired by the greatest and most famous festivals of Venice

•  “Jerusalem Knights in the Old City” returns – and this time with an inspiring, international flavor!!
• For the first time in Israel, a collaboration between the Israeli Festival and the Italian Carnival of Venice. The artistic directors of “Jerusalem Knights in the Old City” will collaborate this year with one of the producers of the Venetian carnival.
• A large group of performers from Venice and from Israel will perform spectacular shows, ancient dances, knight jousting and mask workshops.
• This year, the “Jerusalem Knights of the Old City” Festival will be called “The City of Lions” and the Jerusalem lion will fly alongside its Venetian counterpart.
• A cultural, colorful celebration for the entire family in the spirit of medieval times in the Old City of Jerusalem – music, fire and stunts, knight jousting, knights and ladies dances, magical characters from medieval times in the ancient alleyways, musical ensembles playing medieval music, a knights feast and more.
• Moti Hazan, Director of the Jerusalem Development Authority: “The City of Lions Festival is a unique, vibrant, historic celebration. It is the event that launches the “Autumn Nights” in Jerusalem and in the Old City in particular. This year we opted for an international accent by bringing the flavors of enchanted Venice to Israel and to the Festival”.
• The Festival is an initiative of the Jerusalem Development Authority, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s office and the Jerusalem municipality, managed and produced by the Ariel Municipal Company.
• The producer and artistic director of the festival is Jackie Bachar.
• The Festival is designed for families, tourists, visitors and speakers of all languages.
• Festival events are open to the public, free of charge!

 

“Jerusalem Knights in the Old City” returns – and this time with an inspiring, global flavor!! The knights of Venice visit the Old City of Jerusalem and join the knights of Jerusalem in the enchanted international “The City of Lions – Knights of the Old City”, that will take place every Thursday during the month of November 2011, from 3.11 to 24.11, between 18:00 – 23:00.

• For the first time in Israel, a unique collaboration between the Israeli Festival, the Italian Carnival of Venice, and the “Jerusalem Knights in the Old City”. It will be called “The City of Lions” and theJerusalem lion will fly alongside its Venetian counterpart.

Renowned Italian performer Massimo Andreoli, one of the leading artistic directors of the Carnival of Venice, will visitIsraelfor the first time and take part in the artistic management of the Festival. Massimo is also the artistic director of the Medieval Festival inMonteriggioni,Italy, the famous festival inHorsens,Denmark, the mask festival inTaiwan, the historic advisor of the knights’ festival inGreeceand more.

A large troupe of performers fromVenicewill take part in the Festival alongside Israeli performers in a spectacular display of performances, ancient dances, knights jousting and mask workshops. The Festival is an initiative of the Jerusalem Development Authority, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s office and theJerusalemmunicipality, managed and produced by the Ariel Municipal Company.

 

Courageous knights, princesses in elegant gowns, bouffons, magicians, troubadours, court jesters and vendors from medieval times will rise out of the pages of history and fill the magical alleyways of the ancient city inJerusalemwith a vibrant, medieval festival inspired by the greatest festivals inVenice.

During the enchanted evenings, among the ancient stone walls, the quaint mystifying locations and on the backdrop of typical music of the time, the visitors will take part in a cultural, colorful and fascinating experience and will interact with characters from the past.

A multi participant performance will take place at the entrance plaza to the Jaffa Gate, with music, knights, fire and stunts. In the Muristan square in the Christian Quarter there will be a spectacular performance of the Italian troupe fromVenicein authentic costumes. There will also be performances by oriental dance troupes, flying acrobats will conduct staged battles on the walls of theTowerofDavid, diverse ensembles will play medieval music and street theater actors will take on the guise of period characters and act out typical medieval scenes.

Along the route, visitors will experience chills and thrills in a dark arena with scary medieval characters, who will interact with the public.

  The restaurants, coffee shops and markets in the Old City and Mamila Boulevard join the autumn celebration as well and will remain open to the wee hours of the night.

 The circular route of the Festival will begin and end at the Jaffa Gate, and is designed for the entire family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moti Hazan, Director of the Jerusalem Development Authority: “The City of Lions –Knights of the Old City” Festival is a unique, colorful, historic celebration. It is the event that launches the “Autumn Nights” inJerusalem and in theOldCity in particular. This year we opted for an international accent by bringing the flavors of enchantedVenice toIsrael and to the Festival. The Old City of Jerusalem is full of life during the evening and night and has become an appealing attraction for tourists and Israeli visitors.”

Elad Kendel, Director of the Old City Basin at the Jerusalem Development Authority which initiates the event: “The City of Lions –Knights of the Old City” Festival, which provides visitors an historic-cultural value beyond the visible hands on experience, is part of the overall strategy of the Jerusalem Development Authority, the Government of Israel and the Jerusalem municipality to develop fine cultural events and to enrich the range of nocturnal events for visitors to the Old City, such as the Festival of Light, the Festival of Flavors and Hamshushalayim. Our goal is to enrich the nightlife, the culture and recreation throughout theOldCity, so that millions of tourists and visitors can enjoy its fine qualities and diversity during the day and night.”

 

Zion Turgeman, Director of the Ariel Municipal Company: “Jerusalem has long been on even ground with important cities in the world that have emphasized nocturnal culture. Vast funds are invested inJerusalem to develop nocturnal tourism and expose the wonders of the city in the evening and at night to local visitors and to tourists. As they did last year, we expect many visitors will come to the Old City of Jerusalem to enjoy a cultural and rich festival that will take them back in time.”

 

 

 

 

The events are open to the public, free of charge!