The city of Jerusalem is a pious one, and the homes within it reflect such a sentiment. Residences are modest in structure and show a reverence for function and simplicity over dramatic opulence. Homes open onto a large room used for communal gatherings and dining, then possess a humble bedchamber at the back — both are often sparse but dignified. With a city so full, these buildings are often packed close together, and, at the edges of the city, smaller and even simpler residences made out of wood have been crowded into the spaces between the stone homes. Even in the wealthier homes, decorations tend toward the minimal, as devotion is directed toward religious icons than material finery, and many households may have a small sacred space hidden in an alcove. It can be common to see residents offering their modest food and shelter to the less fortunate, as acts of charity as interwoven into daily life and the privacy of the home is where one's true faith most shows.