The Mount of Olives

Jerusalem is surrounded by many mountains and the Mount of Olives is one of the most famous of them. The Mount of Olives, which is located to the east of the Old City of Jerusalem, got its name due to the many olive trees which covered great parts of it in the past. The Mount of Olives is sacred to the three major religions and many legends, traditions and stories are connected with it. From the Mount of Olives there is a beautiful lookout toward the west, over the old and new parts of Jerusalem and over the Kidron Stream which runs between the Mount of Olives and the city of Jerusalem. This is perhaps the reason that the top of the Mount of Olives- which rises to the height of 815 meters above sea level- served as a well sought after platform for the painters, illustrators and map drawers of the city of Jerusalem throughout its history. On top of the Mount of Olives one can find many graves, as well as monasteries and famous churches, such as Gethsemane, Mary Magdalene and others.