Saint Peter in Gallicantu — Attraction in Jerusalem

St. Peter in Gallicantu (NIS10 per adult) is a Roman Catholic church located on the eastern slope of Mt. Zion around five minutes walk from the Zion Gate. There are several interesting things to see at this church just outside the Old City. Opening hours are 8.30-5pm (Mon-Sat), closed Sundays.

The church is built upon the site where it is believed the Peter denied Christ, fulfilling a biblical prophesy. While there had been previous shrines and chapels constructed upon the grounds over the centuries, the present building was constructed in 1931.

After paying entry and entering the church grounds, you will be treated to nice views down into the Kidron Valley. The more modern appearance of the church is quite noticeably compared to the many ancient buildings you may have seen in the Old City.

There are two rooms within the church. The lower room is simple, modest in decor. The upper room is decorated with mosaic scenes along the walls and ceiling. These were enjoyable to see.

The church is built upon a grotto which you can enter to see ancient caves and pit under the church. There are other archaeologic finds upon the church grounds, including an old staircase (Holy Stairs) running down the mountain slope and covered mosaic. There is an interesting covered model of Jerusalem during the Byzantine period that is worth a few minutes as well.

Overall, we spent around just over 30 minutes at St. Peter in Gallicantu and enjoyed our time here. It makes a nice addition to the Mt. Zion sightseeing and can be easily combined with visits to Cenacle (Hall of the Last Supper), King David's Tomb and the Dormition Abbey. Collectively these attractions can be leisurely visited in 1.5...

Church of St Peter in Gallicantu For a number of reasons the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu is one of the most beautiful churches in Jerusalem, it commemorates the apostle Peter’s triple denial of his Master, his immediate repentance and his reconciliation with Christ after his Resurrection. From here you have a stunning view of the Mount of Olives and The Temple Mount A very interesting place to visit. A modern chapel built on ancient foundations. The top two levels have very pretty Byzantine style chapels. The downstairs has a dungeon where Jesus may have been imprisoned before his interrogation by Ciafas. It is also reportedly the place where Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. An amazing experience to be in person. This was the house of Caiaphas. Beneath the house there's a small dark pit where our Lord Jesus was detained overnight before he was crucified the following day. The view from the lower terrace gives perspective of Jesus' journey and the archaeological significance...

I paid big money for a local guide to take me around the Old City and nearby environs and he said this was not really worth fooling with! I insisted on seeing it. A very good decision. This is a spectacular church in a grand setting bringing into focus one of the most important stories of the New Testament apostles - the three occasions on which Peter denied even knowing Jesus. This church is modern (1933) and is the highest layer on several from antiquity. The lower levels dating at least as far back as 5th century are easily accessible. This is a must see for those wanting a complete experience of important New Testament sites in or near Jerusalem. I don't remember paying any kind of admission fee to visit. Don't hurry your visit here. This site deserves...