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The Basilica of The Agony (also known as the Church of All Nations) is a modern church
constructed on this ancient site atop the ruins of a Crusader church and an earlier
Byzantine Church. The site was another of those discovered by
Constantine's mother, now Saint Helena, in the 4th century AD. The church contains
a grotto with an outcrop of stone
known as the Rock of Agony, where it is believed that Christ
anguished in his final hours.
Close by is the Tomb of the Virgin Mary, located in a cavern excavated by the Crusaders in the 12th
century. The crypt is quite large and an interesting place to visit.
It is a popular attraction for many Christians, although some claim that the Virgin Mary’s burial place is actually in
Ephesus, Turkey
 Further
up the Mount of Olives is the beautiful Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene
 ,
which, with its gilded onion domes, has become a landmark of Jerusalem.
The church
was constructed in the 19th century and houses a revered icon of
the Blessed Virgin, an Eastern liturgical icon known as Hodigitria
representing "She who shows the way." See the
official website for details on the interior and for information on
visiting. A number of excellent items are for sale at the monastery
kiosk, including hand-painted Russian eggs from Gethsemane.
The Kidron Valley, also known as the Valley of
Jehoshaphat, separates Gethsemane from the Old City and the Temple Mount.
Along the Kidron Valley you will see many tombs including several stunning
and ancient monuments.
The photoshows some of the tombs in close proximity to the Golden
Gate of the Old City. The temple on the right is called Zachariah's Tomb, while that
on the left is Bnie Hazir tomb. The monuments are cut into the
rock and the Tomb of Zachiariah is a solid block cut from the
surrounding wall.
About a mile to the west of the Old City, you will find the
Knesset, the Israeli parliament. The building, dates from 1966 and its
gardens include a 16 foot tall Menorah, a gift from the United
Kingdom.
Yad Vashem, the Jewish people's memorial to the Holocaust (the Shoah),
places great emphasis on remembrance in the form of commemoration,
education, research and documentation.
The hilltop facility consists of a Visitor Center, the Holocaust
History Museum, the Hall of Names, the Holocaust Art Museum and additional
buildings, squares and exhibits dedicated to the memory of those who
perished in the Holocaust.
The Memorial is both moving and troubling. This may not be everyone's choice
for a visit, but it is a place we recommend visiting. It is a
comprehensive facility and you will easily spend a morning examining its
details. For more information on Yad Vashem including its programs and visiting, see the
organization's official
website.
 The Israel Museum is one of the leading archaeology museums in the world
and its Shrine on the Book contains the best preserved and most complete of Dead Sea Scrolls. Also known
as one of the world's leading art museums, the Israel Museum has a wide
ranging collection of art and a noted sculpture garden. See the
museum's
official website for details on visiting.
Next - Return to the Best Places to Visit in
Israel
Or - take a look at the index to the
ThereArePlaces Guide to Jerusalem that can be found on the upper
right-hand edge of this page. Top of Page
If you need information about another travel destination, try
our
Destination Guide Index
or Googling ThereArePlaces.
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