List of Christian holy sites in the Holy Land

The list Christian holy sites in the Holy Land outlines sites within cities located in the Holy Land that are regarded as having a special significance to Christians, usually by association with Jesus or other persons mentioned in the New Testament.

The identification of these are sites became important during the Crusades, when Christian pilgrims often sought out holy places in the Outremer, especially in early 12th century immediately after the capture of Jerusalem.^[1]

The search for the Christian holy sites was the foundation of 19th-century European Biblical archaeology in Ottoman Syria and later Mandate Palestine.

The holy sites in cities for Christians of all denominations are:

• The Golgotha sometimes called Calvary: hill outside of ancient Jerusalem’s early 1st century walls that contains the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of All Nations, but many other Christian institutions as well. Jerusalem is believed to be the site of some of Jesus's teaching, the Last Supper which is believed to have occurred at the Cenacle, and the subsequent institution of the Holy Eucharist as well as His entombment; Christians believe he was crucified on a nearby hill.
• the city of Bethlehem with the Church of the Nativity is believed to mark the birthplace of Jesus, and also the Shepherd's Fields in the neighboring village of Beit Sahour, the location of the angel's visitation to the shepherds to announce the birth of Christ.
• Church of the Annunciation in Basilica and Mary's Well in Nazareth which is believed to be Jesus's hometown, and the site of other holy places.
• Sephoria (Tzippori), where the Virgin Mary was said to have spent her childhood.
• Cave dwelling of John the Baptist.
• Sidon
• Tyre Lebanon
• Damascus
• Qana
• Upper/Lower Galilee
• Mount Hermon
• Sea of Galilee.
• The site of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor.
• The Jerusalem to Jericho road which was the location of the Good Samaritan's charity.
• The Mount of Temptation in Jericho which was the site of Satan's failed attempts to tempt Jesus.(Matthew 4:8)
• Jacob's Well in Nablus mentioned in John 4:5-6 as the site where Jesus revealed to a Samaritan woman that he was the Messiah. (John 4:7-15)
• Al-Maghtas, this site has been recognized as the real (and only true) site where Jesus was baptized by all the major traditional Christian Churches. The site is in Jordan
• Machaerus, the Herodias fortress where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded. The site is in Jordan
• Mount Nebo, traditional site of the death of Moses and where he looked over to the "promised land". The site is in Jordan

References

1. Sean Martin, The Knights Templar: The History & Myths of the Legendary Military Order, 2005. ISBN 1-56025-645-1

External links

• A Lantern Slide tour of the Holy Land (Late 19th century photos)