The Holy Sepulchre, the most famous church in Christendom (although perhaps on par with St. Peter’s in Rome) encloses the sites of both the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. The site of the church was originally selected by Helena, the pious (and politically supportive) mother of the 4th C Roman Emperor, Constantine, who was also responsible for the discovery of numerous Christian sites and relics.

The church has since undergone several evolutions since Helena’s visit and now, in addition to the current church, visitors can see the remains of three earlier edifices (there are remnants of all three in the present edifice): the enormous 4th century Constantinian Church (built 336-345), the rebuilt modest 11th century Crusader church; the expanded 12th century Crusader church.

To help visitors gain a true understanding of the history of the Holy Sepulchre through an architectural lens, our travel guide provides:

• a historical look at the architectural evolution of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem;
• floorplans of each church, enabling visitors to clearly see how the layout of the church changed over time (the remaining structures from each iteration are made clear);
• a review of the most meaningful changes implemented with each iteration, and when relevant, the historical background underlying such changes.

Download a FREE PREVIEW (2 of 8 pages)

Price $4.99 (Format: PDF; available for immediate download)

The Old City of Jerusalem (which includes the Holy Sepulchre) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

All Approach Guides are offered as PDF files that can be downloaded and printed immediately after purchase.

Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem