Though it doesn't look particularly impressive from the outside, this is one of the few Crusader buildings in Israel to have survived almost completely intact. Erected in the 12th century as a Christian church, it was converted into a mosque in the 13th century – the minaret and mihrab (prayer niche facing Mecca) were added at this time. Visits are by appointment only.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
23.13 MILES
Four magnificent arches, their lintels richly decorated with Crusader crosses, herald the entrance to one of Christianity's most sacred sites. The church…
Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif
23.47 MILES
There are few patches of ground as holy – or as disputed – as this one. Known to Muslims as Al Haram Ash Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary) and to Jews as Har…
23.43 MILES
The air is electric at Judaism's holiest prayer site, where worshippers recite scriptures, lay their hands on 2000-year-old stone and utter impassioned…
22 MILES
More than 5000 years of cultural treasures are assembled around the vast Israel Museum's indoor and outdoor galleries. Highlights are the titanic statues…
23.57 MILES
As teeming with controversy as it is with ancient history, the City of David is one of Jerusalem's most active archaeological sites. The oldest part of…
20.43 MILES
Israel's official memorial to the six million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis is powerful, poignant and a masterpiece of design. The museum's name…
23.41 MILES
The jewel in the crown of Temple Mount/Al Haram Ash Sharif is the gold-plated Dome of the Rock, the enduring symbol of the city and one of the most…
Beit Guvrin-Maresha National Park
22.36 MILES
Covering 5 sq km of the Judean Hills, Beit Guvrin-Maresha’s rocky valleys and low hills are home to mountain gazelles, hyenas and songbirds – but most…
Nearby Israel attractions
0.04 MILES
Running the length of Jabotinsky St, Ramla's vibrant Middle Eastern bazaar has been going for more than a century, since the late Ottoman period. People…
0.08 MILES
Housed in a building dating from the British Mandate, this small museum provides an overview of the town’s history. Exhibits include locally excavated…
3. Church of St Nicodemus & St Joseph of Arimathea
0.3 MILES
Constructed in the 19th century on a site that Christians believe to be the site of biblical Arimathea, the hometown of Joseph, this Franciscan church has…
0.57 MILES
Atmospheric and shaded by ancient stone structures, the 'Pool of Arches' is an underground 8th-century reservoir. The most significant structure left from…
0.65 MILES
Experts can't agree whether this 14th-century tower was built as a minaret or a watchtower. One indisputable fact is that the 30m-high structure was built…
6. Weizmann Institute of Science
4.26 MILES
The world-renowned Weizmann Institute of Science is an educational campus open to the public, comprising a visitors centre, ecological gardens and the…
4.85 MILES
The quaint historic museum is housed in a collection of period buildings that lend insight into the pioneer spirit that drove the early Zionist immigrants…
6.75 MILES
This 2.5-sq-km reserve is the best place in Israel to get a sense of what the natural and agricultural landscapes of the Holy Land looked like back in…