For those who are interested in religion in history, Israel is definitely the place to go, especially on the capital Jerusalem. Mount Zion is a hill situated just outside Jerusalem’s Old City, so it provides stunning and unique sights of the city.
An important place for Christians, Jews, and Muslims, Mount Zion holds important historical constructions which date from the 20th century as well as constructions built from the Crusader era, marking the spot of King David’s tomb as well as the traditional room where the Last Supper took place. It is called the Cenacle, or the Coenaculum in Latin. From the Cenacle, there is a short climb up to the rooftop and from there you can a see a door that leads to the President’s Room — the small domed structure on the rooftop. Between 1948 to 1967, the second president of Israel, Yitzchak Ben Zvi, used to climb up to the site to have a view of the Old City, towards the Western Wall, which was then under Jordan’s control, and so Israelis (particularly the Jews) were not permitted to visit there.
Mount Zion was the closest place in Jerusalem from which they could take a view of the sacred Temple Mount and Jews would ascend to the rooftop to pray.
Just right outside the walls at the base of Mount Zion, the terrace of the Room of the Last Supper (which is the roof of David’s tomb) offers an Instagram-worthy view of the Dormition Abbey with the Mount of Olives and the Old City walls in the background. We still think that the view from this vantage point is still underrated, but they are quite special particularly when they are basked under the glow from the sunset… you will just sigh at how beautiful it is.
The Mount Zion rooftop over the King David Tomb / Last Supper complex on Mount Zion is one of those great little secrets about Jerusalem. On exiting the Last Supper room there is a old sign in Hebrew and a viewpoint symbol that are easily missed.
A short climb will bring you to one of the best panoramas in Jerusalem.
There are several memorials commemorating the bravery of the those who fought and died defending the Old City’s Jewish Quarter and the associated fighting around Mt Zion in 1948.
Just soak in the views – the Old City, the Mount of Olives, the Judean Desert, and the New City. This is a short diversion taking no more than 5 or 10 minutes, but, incredible – a place to bring your camera.
In addition to visiting Mount Zion and enjoying the stunning views of the city from there, visitors can walk their way east along the wall of the Old City, taking in the ruins of the City of David, Kidron Valley’s monumental tombs, and other impressive landmarks at the nearby Mount of Olives.
See our Mt Zion Album.