The Knesset is the Parliament of the state of Israel, the centre of political life of the country. And yet – a monument of architecture, impressive building with a very special history.

Until 1966 the Israeli Parliament was located in the cinema "Kessem", the Jewish Agency, then in the house of Beit Frumin on king George street. In 1956, the government announced a competition to design a new building for the legislative branch. The majority of the Israeli architects abstained from participation, as all know: money for project no. However, nine days before the end of the contest it became known that the British politician and philanthropist James Armand Edmond de Rothschild bequeathed for the construction of six million British pounds sterling. The jury unanimously named the winner of the architect Joseph Klarwein, the only one who decided to invest efforts into the project and has achieved "the noble appearance of the building". Second place award: competitors was not found. Broke out in a terrible scandal, the architectural community felt offended, but the results of the contest were not cancelled.

Low powerful the building was erected in the Central area of Givat RAM, where many important institutions: the Israeli Supreme court, the national library, the Israel Museum. The Givat RAM known archaeological finds excavated on the bricks and tiles is marking the Tenth Roman Legion that toppled Jerusalem in 70 ad, Byzantine mosaic Dating. On this hill was going during the War for independence fighting youth teams Gadna, fought for Israel.

To visit the Parliament of a small country, of course, worth it. This is the true centre of political life: elected by all the people deputies here and choose the President and the Prime Minister. The building is equipped with the latest technology is carefully protected by a special guard of the Knesset. There is something to see and connoisseur of art.

In the decoration of the complex was attended by famous artists and sculptors. Marc Chagall done a magnificent tapestries on the theme of the old Testament, designed the mosaic ceiling of the hall of one hundred thousand wooden cubes. In front of the building stands a huge menorah, traditional semiweekly lamp (the work of British sculptor Benno Elkana) is a likeness of that was in the Tabernacle of the Congregation during the forty years of wandering Jews in the desert under the leadership of Moses. Decorative lattice around the grounds of the Knesset created the famous sculptor David Palombo. Near the Parliament of a sculpture of his own work "the burning Bush".

Tours of the Knesset (the free, is and in Russian) are held usually in the morning. It is only necessary to take into account a strict dress code: visitors in t-shirts, shorts, clothing with political slogans or with bare belly entrance to the Knesset banned. About it it is clearly stated on the official website of the Israeli Parliament.