Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Jerusalem

In the 1880s, Tsar Alexander III had this Russian Orthodox church raised in memory of his mother, Empress Maria Alexandrovna, who passed away when he was just a toddler. Set amid trees, its seven gilded onion domes, each topped with a tall golden cross, are among the most striking features of the skyline seen from the Old City. These and other architectural features are in 16th- to 17th-century Muscovite style, though the church is equally worth a visit for the delightful icons and murals inside, depicting the life of Mary Magdalene, the first recorded witness of Christ's resurrection.

Completely in harmony with the entourage, Saint Mary Magdalene's is a striking contrast to others in Jerusalem and is worth looking out for when scanning the Mount of Olives. To this day it is the final resting place for Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna of Russia who was martyred during the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, alongside her fellow nun, Varvara Yakovleva. Also buried here is Princess Alice of Greece, Queen Elizabeth’s mother-in-law, who sheltered Jews during the Nazi occupation of Greece. A museum in the convent preserves a beautiful 5th-century mosaic dedicated to "Susannah mother of Artavan".