Where else can you find an abundance of sites commemorating the life and ministry of Jesus? Which other place in the world do millions of Christian Pilgrims visit each year in order to feel the power of his legacy? There is no other place but Jerusalem!

During this eight-hour tour, we will follow Jesus' footsteps during the last week of his life. We will start at the same exact spot where he started - the Mount of Olives. From there, we will follow the Palm Sunday Way towards the Kidron Valley. We will then enter the Old City and walk along part of the Via Dolorosa towards the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. After a visit to Mount Zion, we will come to the highlight of the tour: the hill of Golgotha and the tomb of Jesus.

SITES INCLUDED IN THIS TOUR

Jaffa Gate

One of the eight gates that lead into the Old City of Jerusalem. Built by Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Great in the 16th century, its doors were closed every day by sunset until 1860. In 1898, part of the city wall next to Jaffa Gate was torn down in order to permit German Kaiser Wilhelm II to enter the city with his entourage.

Damascus Gate

This majestic gate is still today the main entrance to the Old City of Jerusalem. This is nothing less than the "Grand Central Station" of Jerusalem, and we will be able to watch Jews, Muslims and Christians entering through this gate, each group hurrying to their specific places of worship. Below the Ottoman gate of the 16th century we will discover remainders of the original Roman triple-gate, making this the main entrance to the Roman city of Aelia Capitolina.

Mount of Olives Lookout Point

Besides being of importance to all three religions, the Mount of Olives also features a unique observation point with the best views over the entire city of Jerusalem. Here we will not only take in the breathtaking view, but we will also learn about the history of this city from the very beginning to modern times. Special emphasis will be given to the history of the Temple Mount and to the pivotal role it plays in the history of the modern Middle East conflict.

Jewish Cemetery

The Jewish Cemetery on the slopes of the Mount of Olives is the oldest Jewish cemetery in the world, existing since the First Temple Period. We will stop here in order to explain Jewish burial rituals and in order to compare them to the way Jesus was buried after his crucifixion.

Dominus Flevit Church

This church was built in the 1950s by famed Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi on the spot where it is traditionally believed that Jesus cried when he first beheld the city of Jerusalem and the Temple on Mount Moriah. We will not only take a look inside the church and explain its architecture, but we will also enjoy the unique view over the Kidron valley and the Old City walls of the 16th century.

Garden of Gethsemane

According to the Gospels, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before his Crucifixion, pleading with God to relieve him of the pain and suffering of his upcoming Crucifixion. Later that evening, Jesus was arrested by the Roman soldiers and taken to Mount Zion, from where he was taken to stand trial before Pontius Pilate the next day. We will visit the garden, which is seen as the traditional site of this event and we will visit the Church of Agony, which was built by Antonio Barluzzi above the rock upon which Jesus had prayed that night.

Austrian Hospice

Definitely one of the most charming place in the Old City of Jerusalem, the Austrian Hospice used to be the lodging of choice for the upper classes of the Austrian Empire during their visits to the Holy Land. We will visit the rooftop terrace for one of the finest views over the Old City, we will relax in the garden of the Viennese Café and with some luck we will meet Sister Bernadette, who runs the entire operation and who is doubtless the coolest person in the entire Old City of Jerusalem.

Western Wall

This holiest site in Judaism is the remainder of the western supportive wall of the Temple Mount Plaza, upon which the Jewish Temple once stood. The Jewish Temple had been destroyed twice in history: once by the Babylonians in 586 BC and once by the Romans in 70 AD. Since Jews are longing for the rebuilding of the Temple, this is the venue where they come to express their sorrow, as the Western Wall is the closest point to where the Holy of Holies used to stand. Here we will soak up the spiritual atmosphere that engulfs this site.

Roman Cardo

The Old City of Jerusalem was under Jordanian control between 1948 and 1967. During these 19 years, the Jewish Quarter was almost entirely destroyed by the Jordanians, which meant that everything had to be rebuilt after the Six Day War of 1967. Before the rebuilding, archaeologists were allowed to perform archaeological digs in the Jewish Quarter, resulting in some of the most amazing discoveries ever made in the Old City. One such discovery was the Roman Cardo, which was the main North-South axis that stretched through the city that was then called Aelia Capitolina.

Dormition Church

Located on Mount Zion, the Dormition Church was built on the traditional spot where Mary fell asleep and where her soul ascended to heaven in order to be received by Jesus. Today's Dormition Church was built by the German Kaiser Wilhelm II and dedicated in 1910. Already in the Byzantine period, a huge Basilica named Hagia Sion stood at this location, making the tradition that is commemorated here a very old one. Today's church is managed by the German Benedictine order.

Cenacle

According to the New Testament, Jesus asked his disciples to find a room on the second floor within the city walls of Jerusalem, where the group could eat the Passover Meal, aka the Last Supper. Tradition holds that today's Cenacle is the Upper Room, in which this event took place. At the same time, this location is also the spot where, according to tradition, Jesus washed the feet of the Disciples and where the first Pentecost took place.

David’s Tomb

Located right underneath the Cenacle (aka the Upper Room), this site is regarded as the traditional burial place of King David. Because the tradition of this site only originates from the Crusader period, it is seen as fact that this is not the real burial place of King David. Nevertheless, we will see dozens of ultra-orthodox Jews praying fervently at what they believe to be the grave of King David. More than anything else, this site shows perfectly how various religious traditions were mixed and merged in the city of  Jerusalem.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The holiest site for most Christians, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher was first built by Queen Helena in the 4th century AD and destroyed and rebuilt numerous times throughout its tumultuous history. This church includes the last five stations of the Via Dolorosa, the Hill of Golgotha on which Jesus was crucified and the Aedicula, which is the structure built above the grave of Jesus.

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