JERUSALEM - No other city in the world exudes spirituality and inspires devotion like Jerusalem, home to important shrines of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Virtually every stone of the walled fortress-like Old City seems to tell the story of a biblical figure or battle.

But Jerusalem's impossible beauty has broad appeal beyond religion or history. For residents and tourists, secular or pious, city slickers or nature lovers, there is always an unexplored alleyway, corner or vista to show the city as you've never seen it before. And many of these sites are free.

SACRED SITES

Jerusalem's most famous holy sites are inside the Old City walls, past a maze of small alleys, bustling marketplaces and wide squares.

The Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif (in Arabic, the Noble Sanctuary), is a well-known but controversial landmark. The hilltop compound is the holiest site in Judaism, believed to be where Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac, and where the First and Second Temples were built. The Temple Mount includes the Western Wall, the last remnant of the Second Temple built by King Herod in the first century. Jews gather here to pray and leave notes between the stones.

For Muslims, the compound is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and gold-capped Dome of the Rock, one of Jerusalem's most recognizable symbols. This is Islam's third-holiest place, after the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. According to Islamic tradition, this is where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven on his Night Journey.

A short walk away is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the holiest of Christian sites. It is said to be located where Christ was crucified (the Golgotha) and buried. The site, built by Roman Emperor Constantine in 325, was destroyed in the 11th century and restored by Crusaders a century later. Despite large crowds, it offers plenty of corners for solitary prayer and meditation.

THE MAHANE YEHUDA MARKET

With its pushy crowds, spiced smells, deafening shouts and melting pot of people, the Mahane Yehuda market is a metaphor for Jerusalem.

The 19th-century "shuk" or market is located in a central area of West Jerusalem and in recent years has become a place to shop, hang out, sip coffee and eat delicious world food.

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Jerusalem: 5 Free things for visitors to do, from holy sites to dramatic views