According to the Gospel, Calvary is the site immediately outside Jerusalem’s walls. It’s widely recognised as the place where Jesus was crucified, alongside a pair of thieves. For this reason, it’s an immensely holy destination, being described as “one of the most influential places in history.”
Also known as Golgotha, early writings refer to Calvary as a mount resembling a skullcap. Even for non-religious visitors, gazing at the site where Jesus Christ was supposedly crucified is an incredibly moving experience.
Calvary sits just outside Jerusalem’s walls, to the east of the Old City. It’s located to the north-east of the Temple Mount and is within walking distance of The Garden Tomb, the place that many believe is the possible site of the resurrection of Jesus.
While believers pilgrimage to Calvary to pay their respects, its location as the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion isn’t unanimous. In 1842, German theologian and biblical scholar Otto Thenius put forward a theory suggesting that the Calvary referred to in the Gospels was a rocky knoll sitting to the north of Damascus Gate. Today, the site in question is referred to as Skull Hill and is defined by its pair of large sunken holes which depict the gaping eyes of a skull.