Church Of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church Of The Holy Sepulchre is a large church located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem, at the end of the way of the Via Dolorosa (Stations of the Cross).
In 325 AD the Emperor Constantine the Great ordered a church to be built on the spot where Jesus was crucified. His mother, Helena, who traveled to Israel, discovered the Tomb of Jesus after the place was revealed to her in a dream. Three buildings were erected.
In 614 AD these buildings were destroyed by the Persians. They were rebuilt and destroyed once more in 1009 AD. The present church was erected in 1149 AD by the Crusaders. The church is immense and covers what is believed to be the sites of the Crucifixion and the Tomb of Jesus.
Stairs take you up to the Crucifixion site and then back down, across the floor, to the site of the Tomb. A large enclosure is built around the Tomb, and about 7 people at a time are allowed into the tomb.
The church is venerated by many Christians, especially Catholics, as one of the holiest of shrines, while the Garden Tomb is believed to be the true site by many Protestants.
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