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The Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives is the mountain that Jesus visited regularly for meditation and worship. Rising about 100 meters above the Old City in the east, it offers a magnificent view of the city. The Mount is associated with several events related to Christ, which explains the presence of several churches. The church of Pater Noster was built on the place where Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's prayer. The prayer is written on the walls of the church in 62 languages. The Chapel of the Ascension is on top of the mountain not far from the church of Pater Noster. From here Jesus ascended to heaven after blessing his disciples. The church of Domnius Flevit is situated at the beginning of the de- scent towards Kidron valley. It was built in 1890 to commemorate Christ's weeping over Jerusalem. The church was designed to resemble a tear shaped shrine. The Russian church of Saint Mary Magdalene is a little further down the hill, and was built by Czar Alexander III in 1888. With its seven golden onion-shaped spires, it is one of the most attractive churches in Jerusalem. The Church of the Virgin Mary, in the Kidron valley, marks the traditional place of her Assumption. The Crusaders built this church in the 12th century because, according to tradition, Mary was buried here. It replaced an earlier Byzantine Basilica.