The last two places we visited are perhaps the most significant, for me, anyway. While the Church of the Holy Sepulchre may be the site of Jesus death, burial and resurrection, this other location seems much more appropriate for various reasons.

Golgotha

Situated just outside the Damascus Gate north of the Old City of Jerusalem, there is a large rocky cliff with several large indentations that appear to look like a skull. Crucifixions were done just below this cliff, next to the road from the Damascus Gate, so that anyone traveling could view the criminals.

Golgotha photo from 1800s

Mount Moriah extends from the Temple site to this particular hill, with the “place of the skull” being a higher elevation. Our guide, a Messianic Jew, mentioned that when Abraham came to Mount Moriah to offer Isaac, he left the servants at one place, and continued up the mountain where he built an altar to sacrifice Isaac. It may be that the very place Jesus was crucified is the site of Abraham’s altar. Our guide also indicated that this area may have been used as a quarry to mine the stones for Solomon’s temple.

Hill of the Skull

The atmosphere here and at the Garden Tomb was one of reverence and worship, much different than the atmosphere at the Church of the Sepulchre. I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit among the many people visiting the site.