It’s a place where Jesus and his tomb. You get to walk inside and see where Jesus is inside the tomb. Plus your tour guide will take and show where they believe Jesus was on the cross.
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 2315 traveler reviewsNew
“Afternoon tour and communion at the Garden Tomb”
This was our group of 40's last stop for the day. There is no charge for admission but donations are accepted. It is a beautiful, peaceful place. We each got to enter the tomb where it is believed Jesus was placed after his crusifction and also the round stone that was placed to...
MoreThis was our group of 40's last stop for the day. There is no charge for admission but donations are accepted. It is a beautiful, peaceful place. We each got to enter the tomb where it is believed Jesus was placed after his crusifction and also the round stone that was placed to cover the opening. It was very moving. Also saw Skull Hill and rocks that resembled a skull. This is where some say was the crusifiction took place. The Garden Tomb was discovered in 1867 and us in the heart of historic Jerusalem. The Garden is closed on Sundays except for special occasions .
LessNew
“A very convincing place.”
This is an alternative crucifixion site for Jesus Christ and it's very compelling for several reasons. It's right next to a rocky cliff with a skull feature. So it could very well be Golgotha 'the skull where crucifixion took place then. Also the actual tomb is unfinished as described in the Bible. So as I...
MoreThis is an alternative crucifixion site for Jesus Christ and it's very compelling for several reasons. It's right next to a rocky cliff with a skull feature. So it could very well be Golgotha 'the skull where crucifixion took place then. Also the actual tomb is unfinished as described in the Bible. So as I said it probably fits better into the historical information than the Sepulchre. The guide we had was simply wonderful too I'd recommend anyone to visit this amazing site.
Less“Somber moment”