Lovely, peaceful setting. Nice gift shop and facilities. An oasis amongst the bustle of the city - recommended.
The Garden Tomb
In the 19th century, scholars began to challenge the Christian tradition that put the site of Jesus’s burial and resurrection at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City’s Christian Quarter. Many Protestants also had their doubts – in large part because the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was the site sanctioned by the Roman Catholic establishment.
It was Major General Charles Gordon, a British officer and administrator, who picked up the gauntlet and began searching for an alternative site. In 1883, Gordon found a rocky escarpment near Damascus Gate. The fact that the escarpment resembled a skull suggested to Gordon that he had stumbled upon the true Golgotha, which may have been derived from the Hebrew and Aramaic for ‘skull.’ He also concluded that one of several tombs uncovered nearby in 1869 had to be the tomb of Jesus. John the Evangelist specifies that the tomb was located in a garden, and the site identified by Gordon contained an ancient cistern and a wine press; hence the name Garden Tomb (it’s also known as Gordon’s Calvary).
Despite the fact that archaeologists (not to mention the Catholic Church) have yet to embrace the Garden Tomb as the site of Jesus’ burial, the spot has become a popular Protestant place of pilgrimage. It is a quiet place, perfect for prayer and reflection.
Photos courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism, by Noam Chen
TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 2365 traveler reviews“Surprise gem”
“Peaceful but not Jesus's Tomb”
a peaceful place first thing in the morning, but the tombs have been dated to a different time, just as it is unknown if the tomb in the church is Jesus's or not too. Take it for what it's worth. Entrance by donation. Opens at 8am
“Must-Do for Protestants in the Holy Land”
Peaceful and tranquil, this is the place where many Protestants believe that Jesus was buried. I thought our guide provided an excellent explanation/argument as to why this location is the one that they believe the event occurred. I found this site to much less chaotic than the Church of the Holy Sepluchre. The Garden...
MorePeaceful and tranquil, this is the place where many Protestants believe that Jesus was buried. I thought our guide provided an excellent explanation/argument as to why this location is the one that they believe the event occurred. I found this site to much less chaotic than the Church of the Holy Sepluchre. The Garden Tomb is what I had always imagine the Garden of Gethsemane to look like, and it is an excellent place for Protestants to ake communion.
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