A fascinating place.

I can only imagine how this site looked almost 2,000 years go, before the churches and buildings were constructed to commemorate the greatest event in history, the crucifixion and resurrection of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

A person so great, that even the world's calendar was restarted following the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

While the busy inside atmosphere of the church is mainly serine and respectful, the immediate surroundings outside the church are quite the opposite with noisy loudspeakers nearby (promoting Islam) as there is a large mosque located right next door to the church.

The area outside the church around and along the Via Dolorosa, is a melting pot of Christians, Muslims, Jews (and tourists) who have, by necessity, learned to coexist together.

Tip:
The queue to enter the tomb section can be a wait of up to 1 or 2 hours, so on our tour group visit day, we didn't even try to line up.

We made a second, personal visit on the next day and we only waited in queue for some 10 minutes. Why?..... because it was lunch time!

So, I'd say line up at lunch & dinner time to avoid the main tour group crowds!

This massive church, originally built in the fourth century, covers the area which is, for Christians, the historical center of the faith. It contains both the hill of Golgotha, on which Jesus was crucified, and the tomb of Christ. The original stone is mostly covered now by other structures, but is visible in some places. Called the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Tomb) by western Christians, it is called the Church of the Resurrection by the Orthodox. As the crucifixion and resurrection are the central beliefs of Christians, this place is the holiest shrine in Christendom. It contains many chapels and crypts as well as the Greek Orthodox main church located in front of the tomb, and it can be a confusing place, so a knowledgeable guide is very helpful. It is usually very crowded with pilgrims and tourist groups, and there are lines to enter the tomb and the place of the cross on Golgotha. It can be noisy and confusing, but the pilgrim should be able to block all of that out as he or she venerates the holy places and remembers what God has done for us in this place. Be sure to enter with respect, and properly (modestly) clothed.

It is a magnificent labyrinth - built by many people from various cultures - visited by thousands from Christian cultures along the centuries. Note the graffiti left by crusaders on the huge doors and thresh hold. Look at the unique rituals - cleaning the resting stone - lighting candles. Go below ground level and follow ancient stories related to the site which go back to Adam and Eve.