Historical locations of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection
From Bethleham to Golgotha, let's trace each and every place that Jesus touched and left his mark. They are now the places where History, religion, culture, archeology, and stories intermingle.
These are also 'a must-see-places-before-you-die' whether you believe in Jesus and Bible, or you don't.
Bethlehem, The birthplace of Jesus
Bethlehem is a city in the West bank of Palestine. It is situated in the Judean mountains and is about ten kilometres south of Jeruselem.
This place is also the birthplace of David.
The Church of Nativity, the exact place where Jesus was born
This Basilica of Nativity or the Grotto, located in the West Bank, Palestine, is supposedly the exact birthplace of Jesus.
In the eastern niche of the Grotto is this silver fourteen point silver star to mark the exact spot where Jesus was born, with the Latin inscription Hic De Virgine Maria Jesus Christus Natus Est-1717 ("Here Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary-1717")
The 14 points on the star represents the three sets of 14 generations in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. First 14 from Abraham to David, then 14 from David to the Babylonian captivity, then 14 more to Jesus Christ.
In the middle of this star is a circular hole, through which one can reach in to touch the stone that is said to be the original stone that Mary lay on when she gave birth to Jesus.
Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth
The Basilica of Annunciation, in Nazareth is the exact place where angel Gabriel appeared to Virgin Mary and announced she would be the virgin mother of Jesus.
Nazareth city where Jesus grew up
The Basilica of Annunciation can be seen as the tallest domed structure in the centre of the image.
Original childhood home of Mary
The lower level, or basement of the Basilica of annunciation still contains grotto part which many christians believe to be the original childhood home of Mary.
Synagogue Church where Jesus studied and prayed
This church is built on the ruins of the ancient Nazareth synagogue where little Jesus studied and prayed. In 570, an Italian pilgrim reported that the original Bible was still there, including the bench where Jesus used to sit.
Bethany beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptised
Jesus's baptism was a major event performed by John, the Baptist in the Jordan river, in Al-Maghtas today located in Jordan. After the Baptism, Jesus withdrew to the Judean desert to fast for forty days and nights.
He was said to be around 30 years old at that time.
The Sea of Galilee, where Jesus walked on water
Much of ministry of Jesus occurred on the shores of Galilee, a fresh water lake in Israel, also the lowest fresh water lake in the world. Here, Jesus found four of his apostles: fisherman Simon and his brother Andrew, and brothers John and James.
Jesus' Miracles on the Sea of Galilee
Here on this mount overlooking the Sea of Galilee, Jesus performed his sermon. Here, he also walked on water, calmed a storm, performed a miraculous catch of fish and fed five thousand people in Tabgha.
The Olive Mount where Jesus spent a lot of time preaching
The Hall of the last supper, on Mount Zion
Mount Zion is a hill in Jerusalem, located just outside the walls of the Old City to the south. This place is known as Cenacle in Latin meaning dining room or the upper room where Jesus ate his last supper.
The Garden of Gethsemane, Jeruselem where Jesus was arrested
This garden of olives, also known as the mount of olives is the place where Jesus and his apostles customarily visited. It was here where Jesus was praying when Judas Iscariot identified him and he got arrested.
"Large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people," arrested Jesus; all his disciples ran away.
Oldest olive tree known to science
Here in exactly the same spot there are three olive trees that are DNA tested to be the oldest olive trees known to science, and may be the exact trees when Jesus was present.
In December 2020 archelogists found 1,200 years old remains of another church and an even older ritual-bath remains beneath with Greek inscriptions:
"for the memory and repose of the lovers of Christ… accept the offering of your servants and give them remission of sins" attesting to the authenticity of the spot as also of the fact that the bath may also have been used by Jesus.
Mount of Olives is also the place where Jesus ascended to heaven
Prison of the Christ, at the Holy Sepulchre of Christ
This is allegedly the exact place in the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem where Jesus was held before his trial and crufixtion. It is a small dimly lit chapel with bars on the window.
Group sculpture of Peter's Denial, Church of St Peter in Gallicantu, Jerusalem
This bronze sculpture of St. Peter surrounded by three separate people is in the courtyard of the church of St Peter in Gallicantu on Mount Zion, in the area where tradition says St Peter denied he knew Christ three times in one night until the cock crowed. He denied by saying to one of them
"I do not know him." The phrase is inscribed in Latin on the black pedestal: 'Non Novi Illum'.
Appropriately, a cock is shown crowing at the top of the column.
Gallicantu, in fact, means 'cock-crowing' in Latin. The church is on the eastern slopes of Mount Zion. The Jewish Cemetery on the Mount of Olives is also visible in the background.
Herod's Fortress Ruins discovered where Jesus was tried
Traditionally, Christians have believed for centuries that the vicinity of the Antonia Fortress was the site of Pontius Pilate's Praetorium where Jesus was tried for high treason. This was based on the assumption that an area of Roman flagstones discovered beneath the Church of Condemnation and the Covenent of the Sisters of Zion was the exact pavement which John describes as the location of Jesus' trial.
The place where Jesus was flogged before being crucified
Jesus was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate in the Praetorium, which was located near the palace of Herod the Great in Jerusalem.
Close up of the stone-paved courtyard where Jesus was possibly flogged. After the Jewish leaders found Jesus guilty, they brought him to Pilate, the Roman governor, for sentencing, as only the Romans could carry out a death penalty in Palestine.
Herod's Fortress ruins discovered where Jesus was tried
Herod's palace-fortress in Jerusalem stood along the western city wall, in the area now occupied by the Armenian Quarter
Via Dolorosa, the path Jesus walked to his crucifixion
The Via Dolorosa is a path in the Old City of Jerusalem that is believed to be the route Jesus walked on his way to his crucifixion. It translates to "Way of Sorrow" or "Sorrowful Way".
From starting to crucifion, the Via Dolorosa path is in total 600 meters long. It is marked with 14 stations:
- The place where Jesus was condemned to death;
- Jesus is made to bear his cross (Church of the Flagellation/Church of the Imposition of the Cross and Church of Ecce Homo)
- Jesus falls for the first time
- Jesus meets his mother (Church of Our Lady of Sorrows)
- Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross (Chapel of Simon of Cyrene)
- Veronica wipes Jesus' face
- Jesus falls for the second time
- The women of Jerusalem weep over Jesus
- Jesus falls for the third time
- Jesus is stripped of his garments
- Jesus is nailed to the cross
- Jesus dies on the cross
- Jesus is taken down from the cross and
- Jesus is placed in the sepulchre.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was crucified
Jesus was crucified at a location outside Jerusalem called Golgotha, which translates to "place of the skull" in Aramaic. The site is also referred to as Calvary, the Latin word for "skull". While its exact location is debated, the most common belief is that it was near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or a hillock called Gordon's Calvary.
The exact spot where the cross allegedly stood
A disc marks the exact place, under the altar, where Jesus' cross was apparently erected.
His last words were Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
The Garden Tomb, where Jesus was entombed
The tomb from inside. The place of Jesus' burial and resurrection.
Emmaus, where Jesus appeared after resurrection
Emmaus is a village mentioned in the Gospel of Luke of the New Testament. Luke reports that Jesus appeared, after his death and resurrection, before two of his disciples while they were walking on the road to Emmaus.
And, the rest is History…!
Thanks for reading.