- Arabic:
- Jabal al-Ṭūr
- Hebrew:
- Har ha-Zetim
Mount of Olives
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What is the Mount of Olives?
The Mount of Olives is a multi-summit limestone ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City, separated by the Kidron Valley. It is considered holy to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and is frequently mentioned in the Bible and later religious literature. The peak usually regarded as the Mount of Olives proper is the southern summit, 2,652 feet (808 meters) above sea level. The northernmost peak, Mount Scopus, is the highest at 2,694 feet (820 meters). According to ancient Jewish tradition, the messianic era will commence on the Mount of Olives, and for this reason its slopes have been the most sacred burial ground in Judaism for centuries.
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Where is the Mount of Olives located?
The Mount of Olives is a multi-summit limestone ridge located just east of the Old City of Jerusalem, from which it is separated by the Kidron Valley. The ridge runs north and south on the eastern side of Jerusalem in the West Bank and rises to 2,680 feet (817 meters). It is frequently mentioned in the Bible and later religious literature and is considered holy to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
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Why is the Mount of Olives important for different religions?
The Mount of Olives, a multi-summit limestone ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City, is sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
In Judaism, ancient tradition holds that the messianic era will commence on the Mount of Olives, making its slopes a sacred burial ground for centuries. The Mount of Olives is frequently mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus entered Jerusalem from it, and the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before his betrayal, is located on its western slopes. The Mount is also recognized as the site of Jesus's ascension into heaven. A joint mosque and Christian chapel marks the spot where many Christians and Muslims believe Jesus ascended.
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What are some famous sites found on the Mount of Olives?
The Mount of Olives, a multi-summit limestone ridge east of Jerusalem, holds significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Some famous sites on the Mount of Olives include:
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Garden of Gethsemane According to the New Testament, this is the traditional site where Jesus prayed before his betrayal by Judas Iscariot. The name Gethsemane suggests the garden was an olive tree grove with an area for pressing oil.
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Christian churches and shrines From at least the 4th century CE, Christian churches and shrines have been built there; a number of denominations are now represented.
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Mount Scopus At the north is the highest peak, commonly called Mount Scopus. The cornerstone of the Hebrew University was laid there in 1918, and the campus opened in 1925. After the Six-Day War in 1967, the entire Mount of Olives came under Israeli rule, and by the early 1970s, the Mount Scopus complex was repaired.
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How is the Mount of Olives connected to events in the Bible?
The Mount of Olives is a multi-summit limestone ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City, separated by the Kidron Valley. It is sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and is frequently mentioned in the Bible.
In the New Testament, Jesus entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives at the beginning of his last week (Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1). Two days before the Crucifixion, he foretold Jerusalem's destruction and the world's end in the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24–25; Mark 13; Luke 21). The Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before Judas Iscariot betrayed him (Matthew 26; Mark 14), is traditionally located on its western slopes. After the Resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9–12), near Bethany (Luke 24:50–51). The Mount is also referenced in the Old Testament in the book of Zechariah in the prophecy of the end of days (Zechariah 14).
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Why do people visit the Mount of Olives today?
The Mount of Olives is a multi-summit limestone ridge east of Jerusalem's Old City, separated by the Kidron Valley. It holds significance in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
People visit the Mount of Olives today for several reasons:
* Biblical Importance It is frequently mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments. The Mount is mentioned in connection to Jesus's entry into Jerusalem, his Olivet Discourse, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Ascension.
* Religious Significance Since the 4th century CE, Christian churches and shrines have been constructed there, representing various denominations. A joint mosque and Christian chapel marks the spot where many Christians and Muslims believe Jesus ascended.
* Jewish Tradition According to ancient Jewish tradition, the messianic era will commence on the Mount of Olives, making its slopes the most sacred burial ground in Judaism for centuries.
* Mount Scopus The Hebrew University cornerstone was laid here in 1918, and the campus opened in 1925. After the Six-Day War in 1967, the entire Mount of Olives came under Israeli rule.2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Mount of Olives, multi-summit limestone ridge just east of the Old City of Jerusalem and separated from it by the Kidron Valley. Frequently mentioned in the Bible and later religious literature, it is holy to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
The peak usually regarded as the Mount of Olives proper is the southern summit, 2,652 feet (808 metres) above sea level. The middle peak (2,645 feet [806 metres]) is crowned by the Augusta Victoria Hospital. At the north is the highest peak, commonly called Mount Scopus (Hebrew: Har ha-Ẕofim; Arabic: Raʾs al-Mashārif; 2,694 feet [820 metres]).
First mentioned in the Bible as the “ascent of the Mount of Olives” (2 Samuel 15), it is referred to in the book of Zechariah in the prophecy of the end of days (Zechariah 14).
The Mount of Olives is frequently mentioned in the New Testament. From it Jesus entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the last week of his life (Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1). Two days before the Crucifixion, in his so-called Olivet Discourse, he foretells the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world (Matthew 24–25; Mark 13; Luke 21). The traditional site of the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed just before he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26; Mark 14), is on the western slopes. Finally, after the Resurrection, Jesus is reported to have ascended into heaven from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:9–12); Luke mentions that the Ascension occurred on a location there near the village of Bethany (Luke 24:50–51).
From at least the 4th century ce, Christian churches and shrines have been built there; a number of denominations are now represented. A joint mosque and Christian chapel exists over the spot where many Christians and Muslims believe Jesus ascended. According to ancient Jewish tradition, the messianic era will commence on the Mount of Olives, and for this reason its slopes have been the most sacred burial ground in Judaism for centuries.
On Mount Scopus (north) the cornerstone of the Hebrew University was laid by Chaim Weizmann in 1918; the campus was opened by Lord Balfour in 1925. By 1948 many buildings had been built, including the Jewish National and University Library (1929) and the Rothschild-Hadassah University Hospital (1934), one of the largest in the Middle East. After Israel’s War of Independence (1948–49), the university area on Mount Scopus was an exclave (detached portion) of sovereign Israeli territory, separated from Israeli Jerusalem by Jordan. Following the Six-Day War (June 1967), the entire Mount of Olives came under Israeli rule; by the early 1970s the Mount Scopus complex was repaired and was in use by various university faculties.