Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu Religious Site

Address: Near the Old City of Jerusalem / Mount Zion area

Hours: Typically open during daylight hours; check museum hours for guided tours

Admission: Small admission fee for archaeological areas and the attached museum (variable)

The Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu is a Roman Catholic church on the eastern slope of Mount Zion in Jerusalem that commemorates the Apostle Peter’s denial of Jesus and his later restoration.

The present church complex was constructed in the 20th century by Catholic religious custodians on a site long associated in Christian tradition with Caiaphas’s house and Peter’s denial. Archaeological remains and older foundations beneath the present church reflect earlier Byzantine and medieval use of the hill.

The church stands on Mount Zion just outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, a short walk from the Dormition Abbey and the traditional Upper Room site, with views toward the Kidron Valley and the eastern slope of the city.

• Location and views: The site sits on the eastern slope of Mount Zion and offers views down toward the Kidron Valley and the Old City.
• Mensa Christi inside: The church preserves a visible rock slab inside the chapel - an important focus of devotion and photo documentation for pilgrims.

What to See#

• Mensa Christi: A rock slab inside the chapel traditionally identified as the ‘Table of Christ’ where Jesus is said to have eaten with the disciples after his resurrection.
• Underground chambers: A series of vaulted underground spaces and a steep external stairway that are shown as the site traditionally associated with the prison of Jesus and Peter’s denial.

Gallicantu is in East Jerusalem above the Kidron Valley, a short taxi or bus ride from the Old City (near the Lion’s Gate and Mount of Olives approaches). Be prepared for steep stairs and uneven paths.

• Wear modest clothing - the site is a place of pilgrimage and sensitivity.
• Allow time to tour the underground chambers and the stairways that climb the hill - they require careful footing.
• Visit in the morning to avoid the midday heat and busier tour groups.