Church of Mary Magdalene Religious Site

The Church of Mary Magdalene is a Russian Orthodox church on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, built in the late 19th century (consecrated in 1888) by the Russian Orthodox Church. It is visually distinguished by its multiple gilded onion domes and traditional Russian decorative style.

The church sits adjacent to the Garden of Gethsemane and is part of the cluster of Christian pilgrimage sites on the eastern slope of the Old City. Its interior contains icons and liturgical furnishings in the Russian Orthodox tradition, and it functions as an active place of worship with regular services.

The building was commissioned and funded by Russian imperial patronage in the late 1800s to serve visiting pilgrims and the Russian community in Jerusalem. Since its construction it has remained in use by the Russian Orthodox Church and is one of the marked ecclesiastical landmarks on the Mount of Olives.

Geographically it stands on the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem’s Old City, immediately above the Garden of Gethsemane and within the broader cluster of holy sites that line the mount’s slopes.

• Visiting etiquette: An active Russian Orthodox church and pilgrimage site, visitors should observe local dress and worship rules and check visiting hours before arrival.
• Architecture: Noted for its multiple gilded onion domes and Russian-style interior iconography, it is commonly visited as part of pilgrim routes on the Mount of Olives.

The Church of Mary Magdalene sits on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. It is reached from Jerusalem’s Old City by walking or a short drive east along the Mount of Olives approach roads; from Lion’s Gate in the Old City it is typically a 10-20 minute walk uphill. Local Jerusalem buses and taxis serving the Mount of Olives/Gethsemane area provide direct road access.

• Check current opening hours and service times with the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission before visiting - the Church of Mary Magdalene is an active parish and access can be limited during major services and religious holidays.
• Visit in the morning outside major pilgrimage dates to avoid crowds and to get unobstructed views of the gilded domes and the church's interior iconography.
• Don't miss the terrace views from the Mount of Olives footpaths nearby; many visitors focus on the church itself and miss the sweeping vistas of the Temple Mount and Old City from the adjacent viewpoints.