Mount Olives in Jerusalem

Mount Olives is a very good starting point for your Jerusalem tour. As you can see, it gives you the perfect view of The Old City - in the picture you can see the Dome of the Rock mosque in the background. The Mount is located east of The Old City (see further below for a map of the area).

The Mount is important to both Jews and Christians. It is first mentioned in the Old Testament when King David escaped through the Mount during the rebellion of his son, Avshalom.

The Mount of Olives is also mentioned a lot in the New Testament - it was a favorite teaching place for Jesus.



The Mount is best known for the big cemetery on its western side. There are over 150,000 graves in the Jewish cemetery, and many well known Jews are buried there.

The Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene on the Mount of OlivesThe Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene on the Mount of Olives. Pretty isn't it?

There are also a few churches on the mount, among those:

  • The Franciscan church Dominus Flevit - it is shaped like a tear. This is because Jesus wept over Jerusalem on the mount.
  • Another church at the foot of the mountain is the Russian Orthodox Church of Maria Magdalene (pictured above).
  • The Gethsemane Church, where Jesus is said to have spent the last night before his crucifixion, is also nearby.
  • And right next to Gethsemane is The Basilica of Agony, also known as The Church of all Nations.

Here is a satellite view and map of the Mount as well as some of the aforementioned churches and the big cemetery:


View Jerusalem Mount in a larger map

So, when you head to Jerusalem, make sure you take some time to tour around the Mount, and if you're smart, make it your first stop in the city so you can take in the great view from the top of the hill.



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