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Nabi Samuel
The skyline north from Jerusalem on the Nablus road is dominated by a beautiful mosque on the top of the hill of Nabi Samuel, with its high minaret. This is the traditional tomb of Prophet Samuel. From the roof of the mosque one can have a magnificent panoramic view of Jerusalem with the cities of Ramallah and Al Bireh and their many historic villages in the foreground. On a clear day, both the Mediterranean and the mountains of Jordan can be visible. The Crusaders called the spot "Mount of Joy." From there their armies in 1099 got their first glimpse of the Holy City.
The Premonstratenians built a church here in 1157, but it was abandoned when the Crusaders retreated to Akka after the battle of Hittin in 1187. Richard the Lionheart spent a few hours here in 1192. It was his only glimpse of the city he had come so far to conquer: he was forced to abandon his plan to attack Jerusalem when expected support did not arrive. The site was a place of pilgrimage for Jews until the 16th century AD when a mosque replaced the church. The mosque follows the lines of the medieval church.
The place was badly damaged by Turkish shells in 1917, but the edifice was restored during the British Mandate. The mosque can be visited all day except during times of prayer. From the annex along the north side, steps lead down to a crypt which is a rock-cut tomb. This tomb may have been at the origin of the tradition of Samuel's burial. It must have been transformed into a crypt in the Byzantine period, a role it retained in the Crusader church.