Crossing the Jordan: Augusta Victoria

I had heard the Augusta Victoria tower commands quite a view, but the church/hospice is located on the Mount of Olives so it's not somewhere I can go by myself. A friend here at Christ Church had been wanting to go as well. We both had Tuesday off, so off we went along with a couple other volunteers. It was a beautiful day for a walk. And it is a walk--through the Old City, out Damascus Gate, down into the Kidron Valley, and then back up the Mount of Olives (that climb is a little more than a pleasure walk!).

The view east from the north side of Jerusalem's Old City. The tower on the horizon was our destination, with the Kidron Valley lying in between.

Beginning our climb up out of the Kidron Valley up the Mount of Olives. This was a quiet, pretty street. For some reason, it reminded me a little bit of Estes Park.

Augusta Victoria began as a German hospice; the foundation stone was laid in 1907 and the guest house and church were dedicated in 1910. The church has an interesting history throughout the past 100 years, serving as headquarters for the German-Turkish General staff in 1914, occupied by the British in 1917, used as a military hospital in 1939, etc.

Maybe not the best of pictures, but it gives you an idea of the Augusta Victoria architecture

The entrance to the church

The Augusta Victoria chapel (view from the balcony)

The central altar

Some of the beautiful artwork on the ceiling

A little side altar decorated for Christmas!

At the back of the chapel--a massive pipe organ!

After oohing and aahing over the chapel, we began climbing the stairs to the top of the tower. This German Church of the Ascension is situated on the highest point of Jerusalem. It is about 2800 feet above sea level and 4200 feet above the Dead Sea. The tower is approximately 148 feet tall. Interestingly, the bells in this tower are tuned to ring in the tones sol, ti, re, and mi, thus harmonizing with the Bells of the Dormition Abbey and the Church of the Redeemer in the Old City.

It didn't take us long to reach the top, somewhere around five minutes. The views were breathtaking, although it was unfortunately not as clear a day as we had hoped.

Looking east--on a clear day one can see into Jordan.

Looking south--this bell tower belongs to the Russian Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. To the left is the eastern side of the Mount of Olives.

Looking southwest over the Old City. The golden Dome of the Rock is quite visible.

Looking west over Jerusalem's New City.

Looking northeast; this view is stunning in the sense that one realizes Jerusalem sits on the edge of wilderness.

Another view looking northeast--the trees are on the Augusta Victoria property (the summit of the Mount of Olives). Past this property, one is immediately in the Judean Wilderness.