David's tomb
The Tomb of David ( Hebrew קבר דוד המלך) on Mount Zion in Jerusalem is venerated as the tomb of the biblical King David , who ruled over the Davidic empire that he established about 3000 years ago . It is an important holy site of Judaism .
authenticity
The authenticity as an actual tomb of David is doubtful. According to the Bible ( 1 Kings 2,10 EU ) he was buried like the other kings of Judah in the City of David , which is about 700 meters further east. According to a centuries-old tradition, David's tomb is located in a building in the immediate vicinity of the Dormition Church . It is possible that this tradition first emerged in Byzantine times .
history
The origin of the structure is unclear. Possibly it is a synagogue from the 1st century AD or an early Christian church. During the conquest by the Persians in 614, during which the neighboring basilica Hagia Sion was destroyed, the building was damaged. In the 12th century, the Crusaders built a church here, the lower floor of which was venerated as David's tomb at the latest. The Franciscans built a monastery here in 1335. In 1524, the Turkish Sultan Suleyman I confiscated the sanctuary and converted it into a mosque ( al-Nabi Da'ud ) dedicated to the “prophet” David . During the Israeli War of Independence , Israel recaptured David's tomb in 1948, which has since served as a Jewish shrine again.
Building
On the upper floor of the same building is the Upper Room , where, according to Christian tradition , Jesus Christ celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion . The lower floor, venerated by Christians as the place of the washing of feet ( Jn 13 : 1-5 EU ), is regarded by Jews as the resting place of the biblical king. It consists of four rooms. The first seen from the entrance was the lower part of the 12th century Franciscan Church. Two more chambers are followed by a third one that cannot be entered by visitors. Here is the large cenotaph , covered with magnificent clothing from the 16th century with Hebrew texts. Behind the cenotaph is a north-facing niche built in the 4th century, the original purpose of which is unclear. The building complex is owned by the Israeli state.
See also
Sanctuaries and places of biblical significance are in close proximity
- the Mount Zion ,
- the Hagia Sion basilica, consecrated in 415 and destroyed in 614 ,
- her successor, the Dormition Abbey , consecrated in 1910 , as well as
- located in the same building as the David grave Cenacle .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Max Küchler: Jerusalem: A handbook and study travel guide to the Holy City in Places and Landscapes of the Bible, Vol. IV, 2 , Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; Edition: 1st, 2007, ISBN 978-3-525-50170-2 , pp. 634-636
Coordinates: 31 ° 46 ′ 18.5 " N , 35 ° 13 ′ 44.3" E