Last updated on January 24, 2024.
The Rotunda is the area under the larger dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Old City of Jerusalem.
The original Rotunda of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed by fire in 1808. It was rebuilt between 1809 and 1810 by Greek architect Nikolaos Kalfa Komnenos of Mytilene. The underside of the dome is decorated with a starburst of light.
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Edicule
In the center of the Rotunda is the Edicule, which is a small structure enclosing the Holy Sepulchre. The Edicule was also rebuilt in 1810 by Komnenos, and underwent restoration between May 2016 and March 2017 after the Israel Antiquities Authority declared it unsafe. The project cost US$4 million and was funded by the World Monuments Fund and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
The interior of the Edicule is divided into two chapels. The first is the Chapel of the Angel, which contains a fragment of the stone that sealed the tomb of Christ. The second is the Holy Sepulchre. The Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian Apostolic churches all have rights to the tomb and celebrate Divine Liturgy or Holy Mass there daily.
The entrance to the Edicule faces the Catholicon. Only a few people are allowed inside the tomb at one time, and a Greek Orthodox monk is there to regulate the time spent by each person. We were advised by a Greek Orthodox priest on our pilgrimage to spend only 15 or 20 seconds inside. We weren’t allowed to take photos.
Coptic Chapel
Behind the Edicule is the Coptic Chapel. It’s made of iron latticework and contains the altar used by the Coptic Orthodox. Some of the Coptic priests get upset when people take photos.
Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea
On the west side of the Rotunda, opposite the Coptic Chapel, is the Syriac Orthodox Chapel of St. Joseph of Arimathea and St. Nicodemus. It’s used by the Syriac Orthodox to celebrate Liturgy on Sundays and feast days. The chapel sits within the 4th century church walls.
At the far side of the chapel is the entrance to a 1st century Jewish tomb. Many people believe Joseph of Arimathea and St. Nicodemus were buried there. The presence of the tomb proves the Holy Sepulchre sat outside the city walls of Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion.
Place of the Three Marys
On the south side of the Rotunda is the Place of the Three Marys, also known as the Place of the Holy Women. A stone canopy above a circular marble slab marks the location the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Clopas watched the crucifixion, according to the Gospel of John. A large mosaic on the wall commemorates the event. Candles burning with the flame from the Holy Light are kept there. Pilgrims often light their own candles and quickly blow them out to take home.
The Place of the Three Marys belongs to the Armenians. The stairs lead to the Armenian monastery, which can be seen above the Stone of Unction.
Chapel of Mary Magdalene
On the north side of the Rotunda is the Chapel of Mary Magdalene. It marks the spot where Christ revealed himself to Mary Magdalene after the Resurrection. It belongs to the Franciscans.
Chapel of the Apparition
The doors at the rear of the Chapel of Mary Magdalene lead to the Chapel of the Apparition, which also belongs to the Franciscans. It’s believed to be the location where Jesus appeared to the Virgin Mary after the Resurrection. The chapel contains a fragment of the Pillar of Flagellation. Another fragment is located at the Church of St. George at the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul, Turkey, and a third in Rome.