Bringing a taste of the Kremlin to Jerusalem, the 19th-century Church of Mary Magdalene is a distinctive Jerusalem landmark on the Mount of Olives.

The Church of Mary Magdalene was built by Tsar Alexander III in 1888 in the traditional Russian style. Easily spotted from the Temple Mount, the Russian church's seven golden domes have been newly gilded and sparkle in the sun. Combined with its multiple levels and sculpted white turrets, the church looks like something out of a fairytale.

The church is worth a close-up visit as well, for it stands in a tranquil garden and is filled with Orthodox icons and wall paintings inside.

The crypt holds the remains of the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, who was killed in the Russian revolution of 1917.

Also buried here is Princess Alice of Greece, who harbored Jews during the Nazi occupation of Greece.

Quick Facts on the Church of Mary Magdalene

Site Information
Names:	Church of Mary Magdalene · Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene at Gethsemane · White Russian Church
Country:	Israel
Categories:	churches
Faiths:	Russian Orthodox
Dates:	1888
Status:	active
Visitor and Contact Information
Coordinates:	31.778827° N, 35.240654° E
Address:	Jerusalem
Lodging:	View hotels near the Church of Mary Magdalene

Note: This information was accurate when first published and we do our best to keep it updated, but details such as opening hours and prices can change without notice. To avoid disappointment, please check with the site directly before making a special trip.

References

1. Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, Oxford Archaeological Guides: The Holy Land (Oxford, 1998).
2. Kay Prag, Blue Guide to Israel and the Palestinian Territories (Black and Norton, 2002), 233.
3. Daniel Jacobs, Mini Rough Guide to Jerusalem (Rough Guides, 1999), 109.

More Information

• Photos of the Church of Mary Magdalene - here on Sacred Destinations