Monastery of the Holy Cross
מנזר המצלבה
A thousand-year-old Georgian monastery in the Valley of the Cross, said to have been where the wood for Jesus's cross was sourced, with finely painted church interiors.
The Monastery of the Holy Cross sits in the Valley of the Cross below the Israel Museum and the Knesset, and from the outside it resembles a stone fortress. Tradition holds that trees used to make Jesus's cross once grew here. Built by Georgian monks in the 11th century, it now belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church. The church preserves Byzantine-style frescoes and mosaic floors, as well as a fresco portrait commemorating the Georgian poet Rustaveli. A small museum displays the monastery's history. A small admission fee is charged. It is usually closed on Sundays and has short opening hours, so mornings are recommended. It is about a 15-minute walk or drive from the city center, and you can stroll along the valley park trail.
Opening hours
Mon–Sat approx. 9:00 am–5:00 pm (closes earlier Fri); closed Sun (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Israel Museum
- Knesset
- L. A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art
- Bible Lands Museum
- Mahane Yehuda Market
- Ben Yehuda Street
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- Yemin Moshe & Montefiore Windmill