Dome of the Ascension

Welcome to the Mount of Olives, a prominent ridge that crowns the ancient city of Jerusalem from the east. As you stand here upon the summit, bathed in the brilliant Levantine sunlight, you are walking upon ground that has been…

Approaching the outer boundary of the sanctuary, you are immediately confronted by one of the most striking architectural paradoxes in Jerusalem. As you look up toward the sky, your eyes are drawn not to a traditional bell tower,…

Emerging from the shadow of the entrance gate, you step into a broad, open courtyard that surrounds the central chapel. The blinding reflection of the sun off the pale Jerusalem stone forces your eyes to adjust. …

Standing in the courtyard, direct your gaze to the solitary building resting precisely in the center of the enclosure. This small, unadorned structure is the heart of the sanctuary, a striking example of twelfth century Crusader…

Stepping through the narrow doorway into the chapel requires a moment of physical adjustment. Leaving the blinding glare of the courtyard behind, you plunge into a cool, heavily shadowed interior. …

Directly in the center of the shadowed chapel, set into the floor and surrounded by a modest stone border, lies the singular object of veneration for this entire compound. It is an irregularly shaped slab of natural bedrock,…

Exiting the enclosed compound of the Ascension, you step back out into the bright, unforgiving light of the Jerusalem sun. Leaving the heavy stone walls behind, we will now begin a short but historically rich descent down the…

Following the path through the olive grove brings you to the entrance of a remarkably serene and beautifully maintained compound. You have arrived at the Church of the Pater Noster, a sanctuary built upon the ruins of the ancient…

Moving away from the bright, multicolored walls of the cloister, you are guided toward a stone stairway that descends sharply into the earth. Leaving the manicured gardens behind, you are stepping down into the raw geological…

Emerging from the depths of the grotto, we walk a short distance to the edge of the property, arriving at a clearing that offers an unobstructed, commanding view of the landscape. Standing here at the boundary of the olive grove,…