The Holy Sepulchre

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Built by Emperor Constantine in 335 A.D. on the very site of Christ's resurrection, the Holy Sepulchre houses the Calvary or Golgotha and the tomb of Christ. The building was destroyed in successive wars, transformed in the Persian period and finally rebuilt by the Crusaders. During restorations following the fire of 1808 and the earthquake of 1927, it was possible to determine the topography of the Golgotha and the tomb of Christ. The Holy Sepulchre has private and communal areas. The former are given to the seven communities who share the church while the communal areas are under the authority of the Armenians, Greek Orthodox and Latin churches. A two million dollar renovation project of the rotunda of the Holy Sepulchre was completed at the end of 1996 with inauguration ceremonies on January 2, 1997.

Easter Procession in the Holy Sepulchre

Quick Facts: The best time to experience the Holy Sepulchre in its full glory is during the Greek Orthodox Easter, typically a week after the Catholic/Protestant Easter.