Church of Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem
Golden domes of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene. Photo: moncay.
Exterior and icon-filled interior. © Torie Partridge.
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 Tsar Alexander's mother, the Grand Duchess Elizabeth, who was killed in the Russian revolution of 1917.
Also buried here is Princess Alice of Greece (Queen Elizabeth's mother-in-law), who harbored Jews during the Nazi occupation of Greece.
Location Map
Location map and satellite view of the Church of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem (center marker). Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. You can explore all of Jerusalem from space on our much larger Jerusalem Satellite Map.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Russian Orthodox Church of St. Mary Magdalene at Gethsemane, Church of St. Mary Magdalene, White Russian Church of St. Mary Magdalene |
| Type of site: | Russian Orthodox church |
| Dates: | 1888 |
| Location: | Gethsemane, Mount of Olives, Jerusalem |
| Phone: | 02/628-4371 |
| Hours: | Tue, Thu 10-12 |
| Cost: | Free |
| Bus: | 37 |
Article Sources
- Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, Oxford Archaeological Guides: The Holy Land (Oxford, 1998).
- Kay Prag, Blue Guide to Israel and the Palestinian Territories (Black and Norton, 2002), 233.
- Daniel Jacobs, Mini Rough Guide to Jerusalem (Rough Guides, 1999), 109.
