Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
rebuilt Jerusalem in AD 135 in
the wake of the Second Jewish
War
(see p43
r , the arch was
reconstructed as a monument
to victory, with two smaller
arches flanking a large central
bay. It is the central bay that
you see spanning the street.
One of the side arches is
also still visible, incorporated
into the interior of the neigh-
bouring
Convent of the
Sisters of Zion
. Built in the
1860s, the convent also
contains the remains of the
vast Pool of the Sparrow
(Struthion), an ancient reser-
voir which collected rainwater
directed from the rooftops.
The pool was originally cov-
ered with a stone pavement
(lithostrothon)
and it was on
this flagstone plaza, Christian
tradition has it, that Pilate
presented Christ to the
crowds and uttered
the words “Ecce homo”
(Latin for “Behold the
man”). However,
archaeology refutes
this, dating the pave-
ment to the 2nd century
AD, long after the time
of Christ. Within a railed
section you can see marks
scratched into the stone.
Historians speculate that they
may have been carved by
bored Roman guards as part
of some kind of street game.
Monastery of the Flagellation, with the Via Dolorosa behind
Monastery of the
Flagellation
1
Via Dolorosa.
Map
4 D2.
Tel
(02)
l
627 0444.
#
8am-6pm (winter:
5pm) daily.
Studium Museum
#
9-11:30am Mon-Sat.
objects, such as fragments of
frescoes from the Church of
Gethsemane, precursor of the
present-day Church of All
Nations
(see p114)
, and
a 12th-century crozier
from the Church of
the Nativity in Bethle-
hem
(see pp194-5)
.
Owned by the Franciscans,
this complex embraces the
simple and striking Chapel of
the Flagellation, designed in
the 1920s by the Italian
architect Antonio Barluzzi,
who was also responsible for
the Dominus Flevit Chapel on
the Mount of Olives
(see p113)
.
It is located on the site
traditionally held to be where
Christ was flogged by Roman
soldiers prior to his
Crucifixion (Matthew 27:
27-30; Mark 15: 16-19).
On the other side of the
courtyard is the Chapel of the
Condemnation, which also
dates from the early 20th
century. It is built over the
remains of a medieval chapel,
on the site popularly identi-
fied with the trial of Christ
before Pontius Pilate.
The neighbouring monastery
buildings house the Studium
Biblicum Franciscanum, a
prestigious institute of biblical,
geographical and archaeo-
logical studies. Also part of
the complex, the
Studium
Museum
contains objects
found by the Franciscans in
excavations at Capernaum,
Nazareth, Bethlehem and
various other sites. The most
interesting exhibits are
Byzantine and Crusader
Crusader-era angel's
head, Studium Museum
Ecce Homo Arch
2
Via Dolorosa.
Map
4 D2.
Convent
of the Sisters of Zion
Tel
(02) 643
l
0887.
#
9am-noon & 2-6pm
(winter: 5pm) Mon-Thu.
& 8
Via Dolorosa
3
Map
3 C3 & 4 D2.
This arch that spans the Via
Dolorosa was built by the
Romans in AD 70 to support
a ramp being laid against the
Antonia Fortress, in which
Jewish rebels were barricaded
(see p44)
. When the Romans
The identification of the Via
Dolorosa
(see pp30-31)
with
the ancient “Way of Sorrows”
walked by Christ on the way
to his Crucifixion has more to
do with religious tradition than
historical fact. It nevertheless
continues to draw huge num-
bers of pilgrims every day.
The streets through which they
walk are much like any others
in the Muslim Quarter, lined
with small shops and stalls, but
the route is marked out by 14
“Stations of the Cross”, linked
with events that occurred on
Christ's last, fateful walk. Some
of the Stations are commemo-
rated only by wall plaques,
which can be difficult to spot
among the religious souvenir
stalls. Others are located
The Ecce Homo Arch bridging
the Via Dolorosa
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p256 and p272
