A wonderful place for contemplation and reflection. This tomb very closely fit the perception I have grown up with as to the final spot Jesus was put to rest. Close to the Damascus Gate of the old city. Don't miss this one!
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 1870 traveler reviewsNew
“Interesting, peaceful, but doesn't seem authentic”
It's pretty and peaceful and we enjoyed walking around the Garden Tomb, but it didn't feel authentic to us. Can understand why Protestant groups come here to pray, away from the crowded ornate Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but it's hard to believe this could be the place where Christ was crucified...
MoreIt's pretty and peaceful and we enjoyed walking around the Garden Tomb, but it didn't feel authentic to us. Can understand why Protestant groups come here to pray, away from the crowded ornate Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but it's hard to believe this could be the place where Christ was crucified and buried. Glad we checked it out, though.
LessNew
“A great spot”
New
“A very special experience”
To actually walk into the tomb where Jesus was buried is a very special experience. There are volunteer guides at the site who explain about Calvary, Golgotha and the tomb site which puts the whole experience into perspective. The gardens around the tomb area are beautifully tended and very peaceful.