Christian Sites in Jerusalem
"Between the Peace of the Church and the Arab Conquest, Jerusalem was in effect one vast pilgrim complex with an established 'circuit' of sites, myriad churches, shrines, and relics, vast hospices, and thousands of visitors."
-- Gary Vikan, Byzantine Pilgrimage Art (Dumbarton Oaks Papers, 1982)
The holiest site in the world for Christians, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, is located in Jerusalem. It is believed to house the tomb and burial slab where Jesus' body was placed before his resurrection. In addition, many other Christian churches have been built in Jerusalem, representing a wide variety of Christian denominations (Orthodox, Catholic, Coptic, Armenian, Lutheran, Franciscan, and more) and sacred sites associated with the life and death of Jesus.
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Bible Lands Museum West Jerusalem This museum, opened in 1992, displays an incomparable collection of artifacts surrounding the ancient Israelite world, including pieces from early Christianity. |
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Church of the Holy Sepulcher Muslim Quarter This church marks the place where many believe Jesus was buried and raised from the dead. It is the holiest site in Christianity. |
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Chapel of the Ascension Mount of Olives This chapel, both a Christian and Muslim holy site, marks the spot where Jesus is believed to have ascended to heaven after his resurrection. |
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Church of All Nations (Basilica of the Agony) Mount of Olives This church was built in the early 1900s over a portion of bedrock that is believed to mark the place where Jesus prayed on the night of his betrayal. Several different nations contributed to its construction. |
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Church of Dominus Flevit Mount of Olives A modern Franciscan church that marks the spot where Jesus wept over his vision of the future destruction of Jerusalem. There is a beautiful view of Temple Mount from Dominus Flevit. |
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Church of Mary Magdalene Mount of Olives Featuring golden domes that can be seen from afar, this Russian Orthodox Church was built in 1888 by Czar Alexander III. |
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Church of the Pater Noster Mount of Olives Built on the traditional place where Jesus instructed his disciples in prayer, the walls of this church are inscribed with the Lord’s Prayer in 44 languages. |
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Church of St. Anne and the Bethesda Pool Muslim Quarter This 12th-century Crusader church erected in honor of the birthplace of Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary. Nearby is the Bethesda Pool, where Jesus healed a paralytic who could not get to the healing waters. |
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Church of St. John the Baptist Christian Quarter This is one of the oldest churches in Jerusalem, and the site of the founding of the Knights of the Hospital of St. John, or the Hospitallers. |
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Garden Tomb Discovered in 1867, this ancient tomb in a peaceful garden is honored by many Protestants as the site of Jesus' burial instead of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. |
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Monastery of the Cross West Jerusalem This 11th century Orthodox monastery is believed to mark the place where the tree grew that provided the wood for Christ's cross. |
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Pool of Siloam City of David Recent excavations (2005) have revealed what is believed to be the actual Pool of Siloam in which the blind man healed by Jesus washed his eyes. |
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St. George's Cathedral Modern Jerusalem This English-style Anglican cathedral is a surprising sight in its Arab neighborhood. Named for the patron saint of England, St. George's Cathedral was the site of the 1917 truce sanctioning British presence in Palestine. |
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Via Dolorosa Muslim Quarter The Via Dolorosa is a street that crosses the Muslim Quarter from east to west. It is revered by Christian pilgrims as the route taken by Jesus as he was led to his crucifixion, and is the setting for religious processions. |
