Golgotha
4
About
Discover the biblical hill in Jerusalem where Jesus Christ is believed to have been crucified. While the actual site of Golgotha has been much disputed, the two rival locations are about half a mile from each other, so you can easily tour both in one go. Head to the Old City to visit the first site, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and other ancient landmarks are located. Then, cross Herod’s Gate to see the other elevation, where you’ll find the Garden Tomb and St. Stephen’s Basilica.
Sign up for a historic tour of the area to learn more about its rich history. – Tripadvisor
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Neighbourhood: Givat Ram
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4.0
88 reviews
Excellent
47
Very good
22
Average
15
Poor
1
Terrible
3
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,591 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
Golgotha is the hill directly outside the Jerusalem city walls where Jesus was crucified. This place is known as Golgotha, or "Place of the Skull" in Greek, or Calvary in Latin. It is identified in all canonical Gospels. Roman Empress Helena identified the site in 325 AD. Golgotha has drawn Christian pilgrims for many centuries.
Written 3 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jasperdog3
San Diego, CA2 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
We visited this site 4/11/14 along with the nearby Garden Tomb. I found the arguments for its historicity convincing. First, it is definitely OUTSIDE the old city walls, as stated in the Bible, while it is highly unlikely that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was ever outside the city walls, there is no evidence of walls near it and Jerusalem would be almost indefensible. Second there was a major road right underneath Skull's Hill, and that is always where the Romans crucified people, along roads, NOT on hills. (No, the Bible does not say anyplace that Jesus was crucified on a hill, except in the macro sense, the entire city of Jerusalem is on Mt. Moriah.) In Jesus day there would have been crucifixion poles all along this road so that the travelers-by could read the inscriptions containing the charges for which they were sentenced. Roads in those days didn't go to tops of hills, and if the crosses were on the top of the hills, only the people who wanted to take a hike would see the charges or the crucifixion. So the crucifixion was not on top of Skull's Hill, but along the road beneath it, which was the main road coming from Damascus to Jerusalem. Even today, there is a road beneath it, in fact, there's a bus depot there. The final reason I was convinced was seeing the skull-like formations in the rocks for myself. Yes, there's even more than one, I see two or three.
People complain that this place isn't pretty, and it isn't. If you want something pretty, go to the Garden Tomb. There is a very good view of Golgotha, the "place of the skull" from the back right corner of their garden. But why should the place where a man was wrongly tortured to death be pretty?
People complain that this place isn't pretty, and it isn't. If you want something pretty, go to the Garden Tomb. There is a very good view of Golgotha, the "place of the skull" from the back right corner of their garden. But why should the place where a man was wrongly tortured to death be pretty?
Written 11 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael H
Crowborough, UK790 contributions
June 2014 • Solo
I went on my own at dawn with the Holy Sepucher almost to myself - with the smell of incense and the chanting of monks - this was truly memorable. One can touch the rock of Golgotha through a hole under the altar, and touch time, space and history. Unique and unforgettable
Written 7 September 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TODD L
Fredericksburg, PA171 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
This is where our Lord performed the ultimate demonstration of His Love for us by dying on the cross and laying down his life for our sins so that we might Believe and Confess Him to be Our Lord & Savior. No Greater Love than this that a man lay down his life for another.
Written 16 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffry b
Essendon, Australia13,591 contributions
Mar 2017 • Family
The Place of the Skull, known as Golgotha in Jesus' time, was where Christ was crucified. Golgotha, also called Calvary in Latin, is usually said to be connected to the traditional site of Christ's Crucifixion, now in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem., This site is within the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. The alternative site for Christ's Crucifixion, the Garden Tomb, is the site of the Resurrection, as proposed by some Protestants (including evangelical Anglicans and Episcopalians) and LDS (Mormons). Both sites have their supporters. Take a look at both and make up your mind. By the way, it pays to be early, these holy sites can become very crowded.
Written 13 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
3Dtravelpro
51 contributions
June 2019 • Friends
As many have written, the Garden Tomb and nearby Skull Hill may or may not be the actual site, but the volunteer guides make that clear.
They tell you their facts and leave you to think about it all.
What I found helpful was seeing a tomb without a church on top of it!
I couldn’t get a strong feeling of what it would have been like for Jesus inside the church in old Jerusalem, but this is very accurate to what we’ve all read.
Go, and make your own opinion.
They tell you their facts and leave you to think about it all.
What I found helpful was seeing a tomb without a church on top of it!
I couldn’t get a strong feeling of what it would have been like for Jesus inside the church in old Jerusalem, but this is very accurate to what we’ve all read.
Go, and make your own opinion.
Written 21 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Departure811861
Germany1,073 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
I have been to both Golgothas: the one in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the one which you can see from the Garden Tomb. Because of the pomp in the church I prefer Skull Hill facing a car park. What would Jesus say? As with any faith it is a question of "believe it or not". I wonder whether it is really important to know where Golgotha was. Only the man counts who was crucified there.
Written 18 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
macedonboy
Glasgow, UK186,358 contributions
Dec 2017 • Solo
This has been promoted as an alternative site for the site of the crucifixion. Only the naive would swallow such a story based on a random geological feature. The real site of the crucifixion is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The main promoters of this site seem to be the Garden Tomb. This is just a tourist trap.
Written 9 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
amars662
New Orleans, LA995 contributions
Mar 2016 • Friends
I went with a large tour group and, surprisingly, this place has their own tour guide who walks you through and explain everything. The tour guide showed us a bunch of old pictures of what the big rock use to look like (prior to its nose falling off). He also gave a bunch of compelling points as to why this place is believed to be the place of the skull. I won't ruin it for you by telling you what was said, but it's definitely worth visiting! I left way more knowledgeable than when I arrived!
Written 29 February 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SpencerCoffman
Wisconsin Dells, WI594 contributions
Nov 2018 • Friends
The one at the Garden Tomb makes the most sense to be the real Golgotha. It looks like a skull and the area fits perfectly with scripture and Roman history.
It’s on a main road, which is where Romans would have hung crosses along that main road in addition to on top of the hill.
It’s also near the tomb. This is important because Joseph’s tomb was nearby.
It is also on a hill that would have been outside the city walls.
It’s on a main road, which is where Romans would have hung crosses along that main road in addition to on top of the hill.
It’s also near the tomb. This is important because Joseph’s tomb was nearby.
It is also on a hill that would have been outside the city walls.
Written 27 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are two Golgotha locations. The "Skull Hill" at this location is simply a rock outcropping that somewhat resembles a face, not a skull. Check the TripAdvisor photos. There is what appears to be a nose. Um… Skulls don't have noses. Whoever promotes this "attraction" does so as a tourist trap. It can't be called Golgotha because this is not the site, the reason the name Skull Hill with Golgotha in parenthesis. Keep in mind that streets of 2k years ago are now covered by 20 feet of stone and dirt, as evidenced by the Roman Cardo--the main street. (Cardo is a Latin word that means main artery, as in cardio.) Even the Western Wall plaza is far above the foundation, and the tunnels didn't exist 2k years ago--the passageways were simply exposed alleys.
Written 31 October 2018
Susanne: I researched this site on the Web. Historians and archaeologist concur that it is not likely the site of the crucifixion. What is called Skull Hill (notice that the official name is not Golgotha) today somewhat looks like sunken eyes and a rock outcropping that appears to be a nose. That should tell you something. A skull has no nose cartilage or bridge, just a gaping hole where tissue once covered. Skull Hill looks more like a face, not a skull. Enter the following phrase in a search engine: "where is the site believed to be the crucifixion of Jesus" The publication Bible History Daily suggests that it is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, though some historians dispute that. Keep in mind that 2,000 years ago, the topography of Jerusalem was much different than it is today. The most stunning evidence of this I found was The Cardo, a Roman street 20 feet below today's street level. Cardo has been excavated, but only the stone street and some columns remain. Much of Jerusalem was covered over, so a street leading to Skull Hill today is not likely to be the crucifixion site. The three crosses would have had to be pegged into limestone. There are no excavations at this site to suggest this. This may be some opportunist's attempt to bilk tourists by calling it Skull Hill, instead of Golgotha.
Written 27 May 2018
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