Church of the Holy Sepulchre / Christ's Tomb, Jerusalem (must see)

Known to many as the Church of the Resurrection, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is where Christianity compresses its most intense chapters into one dimly lit, yet often crowded, site. This is the traditional endpoint of the Via Dolorosa—though technically, the final steps spill out into the broad courtyard just outside. Inside, four stations of the Way of the Cross are packed under one roof, which explains the steady flow of pilgrims here, moving with purpose, patience, and very little personal space...

Pass through the entrance, and things get serious pretty fast. The Chapel of the Franks greets you first, a brief threshold before the space opens upward toward the crucifixion altar. The Greek Orthodox altar rises above what is believed to be the very spot of the Crucifixion itself.

Just nearby lies the Stone of Unction, smooth and worn, marking where Jesus’s body was prepared for burial—still touched, kissed, and quietly circled by pilgrims every day. Move deeper inside, past the Chapel of the Angel, and you reach the marble-clad tomb traditionally identified as Jesus’s burial place. Above it all, a great dome pulls daylight down into the gloom, as if reminding everyone where this story is headed.

The building itself has lived several lives. Commissioned in the 4th century by Emperor Constantine after his conversion to Christianity, the church has endured fires, invasions, neglect, and repeated rebuilding as Jerusalem changed hands. What stands today is the result of survival rather than design—a layered mix of Byzantine foundations, Crusader additions, medieval repairs, and modern reinforcements. A major restoration in 1959, carried out jointly by Latin, Greek, and Armenian Christian communities, stabilized what could still be saved.

Sharing the space, however, has never been simple. Control of the church is divided with almost ceremonial precision among several Christian denominations. Even tasks as basic as cleaning steps or moving furniture are governed by centuries-old agreements—proof that, here, theology and logistics are equally sacred.

A word of advice: arrive early, dress respectfully, and don’t expect much guidance. This church explains itself slowly, through stone, shadow, and the steady movement of those who came here long before you.