Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

From excavations, we assume that the area of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre area was the place of a large quarry.

The quarry remanence dates to 2,000 years ago, before the time of Christ, being outside of the city walls.

The main reason for its construction was probably of the Temple Mount.

We assume that a large rock was left for executions, and the sides of the quarry were sold to people as burial caves for their families.

The large rock name is the Golgotha and according to the sources, Jesus died on this rock. After that, his body was cleansed and laid in one of the caves, later known as Joseph of Arimathea’s cave.

Highlights of the place

• On the right side from the entrance, you will find an elevated area around the top of Golgotha – the spot where Christ died and his cross once stood.
• Opposite to the entrance, you will find a flat rock which commemorates the cleansing and anointing of Christ’s mortal body.
• On the left side, in the rotunda, and under a large dome, stands a building. It replaces the original burial cave of Christ. Unfortunately, the Muslims destroyed the original cave during their conquest of the region in the 11th century.
• On the right side, there are steps leading down to St. Helen’s Chapel dedicated to Saint Constantine’s mother. She was the one to find the grave and “the real cross” of the Messiah. Above the chapel, you will be able to enjoy the Ethiopian courtyard with its two magnificent chapels.