The Holy Church of the Sepulchre is located at the center of the Christian Quarter in the north western part of the old city of Jerusalem. This area of the old city contains some of the most important sites in the world for Christians from all denominations. Millions of people flock here every year in order to get a glimpse of where Jesus was buried and supposedly crucified. Just walking anywhere around the old city can bring one back to a time when Jesus and his Apostles were spreading the word of God. Obviously, the center of all this is The Holy Church of the Sepulchre, but quite often the lines of people trying to enter the church are so long, that one is almost better off to go walking around this area of the city for an hour or so, in order to wait for a better time to go to the Church. In this area alone there are some forty ancient Christian sites, including monasteries, other churches and various important pilgrimages for Christian from all faiths.
The Christian Quarter in Jerusalem is mainly focused on religious education and tourism, but historically there is nowhere on earth like it. No matter what time of the year you go, you will find many shops selling Christian souvenirs and gifts, such as crosses, postcards and artifacts.
At the southern tip of the quarter is a splendid site the ‘Hizkiyaho’ pool, hidden in between walls, a pool which accumulates rain water and used to provide water for the entire old city. (As of 2010 the pool is totally dry, and surrounded by buildings on nearly all sides). Historically, this pool was referred to in the bible in 2 Kings, so many Christians make a point of seeing it. One of the most distinct characteristics of the Christian Quarter is its red roof tiles which stand out in the old city scenery.
As one would expect, there are also many important buildings in the Christian Quarter, some being Churches. These include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, the Church of John the Baptist, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Church of the Savior. As well as actual churches there are many ancient monasteries including the Greek Monastery, the Deir al-Sultan Monastery and the San Salvatore Monastery. This part of the old city is truly an incredible place, and must be on anyones plans when visiting Jerusalem.
