Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem

Back in the 1880s, Tsar Alexander III commissioned this Russian Orthodox church as a tribute to his mother, Empress Maria Alexandrovna, who died when he was still very young. The result is hard to miss.

Set among trees on the Mount of Olives, the Church of St. Mary Magdalene rises with seven gilded onion domes, each capped with an improbably tall golden cross. Seen from the Old City, these domes shimmer like a deliberate attempt to steal the skyline-and, frankly, they succeed. The design draws heavily on 16th- and 17th-century Muscovite architecture, giving the building a distinctly Russian accent in a very Jerusalem setting. Inside, the tone softens with richly colored icons and murals that trace the life of Mary Magdalene, traditionally remembered as the first witness to the Resurrection.

Architecturally and emotionally, the church stands apart from its surroundings. While many Jerusalem churches lean toward the monumental or the austere, this one feels almost intimate, despite its visual drama.

It is also a place marked by modern history and personal stories. The church serves as the burial site of Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, who was murdered during the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, along with her fellow nun Varvara Yakovleva. Nearby lies Princess Alice of Greece, mother of Prince Philip and mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II, remembered for sheltering Jews during the Nazi occupation of Greece.

Adding yet another layer, a small convent museum preserves a delicate 5th-century mosaic dedicated to “Susannah, mother of Artavan.” It is a quiet detail, easy to overlook, but perfectly in tune with the place itself-where imperial ambition, personal devotion, tragedy, and compassion all meet under seven golden domes...