I enjoyed visiting the tomb. It's beautifully maintained by a charity, and the tour guides are very gracious. Worth visiting.
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 2221 traveler reviewsNew
“More authentic place to experience Jesus' crucifixion & resurrection”
The Garden Tomb is a beautiful place to visit - religious person or not - but as a religious person this place was my #1 favorite place I visited in all of Jerusalem. They have converted this long stretch of land into a beautiful garden. It is considered by the evangelical denominations to be...
MoreThe Garden Tomb is a beautiful place to visit - religious person or not - but as a religious person this place was my #1 favorite place I visited in all of Jerusalem. They have converted this long stretch of land into a beautiful garden. It is considered by the evangelical denominations to be the site of the cross (at one end) and the tomb (at the other), but they emphasize that it is less about the accuracy of the location than its significance. The thing I most loved compared to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is that one can imagine the actual events in this place. The tomb may not have been Jesus' but it is from that era, so his tomb would've looked like it. They have an informative pamphlet that explains everything you need to know without being guided through the place by a person, so that you can have the spiritual experience that you want alone. It's not on many people's typical list of Jerusalem sites to see - but it SHOULD BE! You won't regret your visit.
Less“Very enjoyable!”
As opposed to where many say the tomb may be and a huge building is over it, this garden area is more like it would have been over 2,000 years ago. The docents were amazing, sharing lots of facts about how burials were done in those times. Our group had a sweet...
MoreAs opposed to where many say the tomb may be and a huge building is over it, this garden area is more like it would have been over 2,000 years ago. The docents were amazing, sharing lots of facts about how burials were done in those times. Our group had a sweet time of fellowship and received communion in the gardens. It was a lovely visit, I surely won't forget. The gift shop is beautiful and really well stocked with lovely items (and I am not a shopper).
Less“A beautiful site, with a convincing argument for being the 'real' tomb”