Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross

The Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross (

The church marks the spot traditionally held to be where Jesus took up his cross after being sentenced to death by crucifixion. This tradition is based on the assumption that an area of Roman flagstones, discovered beneath the building and beneath the adjacent

Like Philo, Josephus testifies that the Roman governors stayed in Herod's palace while they were in Jerusalem,^[2] carried out their judgements on the pavement immediately outside it, and had those found guilty flogged there;^[4] Josephus indicates that Herod's palace is on the western hill,^[5] and it has recently (2001) been rediscovered under a corner of the Jaffa Gate citadel. Archaeologists now, therefore, conclude that, in the first century, the Roman governors judged at the western hill, rather than the area around the Church of the Condemnation, on the diametrically opposite side of the city.^{[2][dubious – discuss]}

History

The original church was built during the

The church is topped by five white domes, each of them sitting on a drum containing

An interesting feature of this church is the Roman period floor found next to its western wall. Typical of floors of that era, it is made of very large, striated stones that kept animals' hooves from slipping.[6]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross.

31°46′49.26″N 35°14′1.36″E / 31.7803500°N 35.2337111°E / 31.7803500; 35.2337111