The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, is the holiest site in Christianity, revered as the place of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus. An ancient, dimly lit and endlessly atmospheric complex of chapels, shared and sometimes contested by several Christian denominations, it enshrines the rock of Calvary and the tomb, or Aedicule, where pilgrims from around the world come to pray, in one of the most sacred and moving spaces on earth.

What you actually see

• The Aedicule - the shrine over the tomb of Christ.
• Calvary - the rock of the crucifixion, up the stairs.
• The Stone of Anointing - the slab where pilgrims kneel and pray.
• The ancient chapels - the many chapels of the different denominations.

When to go

Spring and autumn for the mildest weather; go early to avoid the longest queues for the tomb, which can mean a wait of hours in peak season and around Easter, when it is at its most crowded and fervent.

Honest expectations

It is a working, sacred church, so dress modestly and behave respectfully. The queue to enter the tomb itself can be very long, sometimes hours, especially around Easter. It is dim, crowded and, with several denominations sharing the space under a delicate status quo, occasionally tense. It is profoundly moving for the faithful and the curious alike.

Nearby

The Via Dolorosa, the Western Wall and the old-city quarters surround it.