On the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, above the Helena Chapel, where, according to Christian tradition, the cross was found, there is a courtyard. It belongs to Ethiopian monks and they call it Dir a-Sultan (royal monastery) after King Solomon. They consider Solomon to be the ancestor of the dynasty of Ethiopian kings. According to their version, the Queen of Sheba gave birth to a son after a visit to King Solomon. Having matured, he also visited Jerusalem and returned to his homeland with the Ark of the Covenant, which is kept to this day in the Ethiopian city of Aksum.
The trip combines the famous and hidden places of Old Jerusalem. Traditionally, we start at the Jaffa Gate, but soon we will enter a quiet street of the Maronite Church. Further, we will visit the little-known Syrian church of St. Mark, built on Mark's house where the Last Supper of Jesus and his disciples took place. Next, we will pass through the Jewish quarter with its famous Cardo Street, Madaba Map and two synagogues - Hurva and Tipheret. We will also visit the Institute of the Temple, which tells in great detail about objects in the Jerusalem Temple. Next, the synagogue at the Western Wall will show us the rare pillars of the ancient bridge that were the entrance portal to the Temple Mount. Further, we will walk through the Muslim quarter and talk about the city's water supply system and its open street fountains - sibyls. Finally, after visiting the fifth, sixth and seventh stops of the Via Dolorosa, we will complete our trip in the Ethiopian village on the roof of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.