The Church of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky is located on the Alexander Podvorie – historical Russian possession in the Old town.

A feature of the Church and monastery in the fact that among the Palestinian Russian possessions they are closest to Church of the Holy sepulchre. The distance to Golgotha is just 70 metres. This lovely island is an extremely interesting archaeological and architectural monument.

The plot, on which are situated the Church and compound, in 1859 bought the Ethiopian clergy, one of the founders of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, Senator Boris Mansurov. Initially there were going to build a Russian Consulate. In 1881 Palestine visited the pilgrim Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, donated funds for archaeological excavations of the site. They took the famous European archaeologists – Conrad Schick, Charles Wilson. Were found a fragment of a second pass of the wall of Jerusalem in the time of Herod the Great, the threshold of the ancient gates of Jerusalem, arch of the time of the Emperor Hadrian.

After excavations began construction of a farmstead, named in memory of Emperor Alexander III. Built in secret from the Ottoman authorities and the Church feared that due to the proximity of the site to the Church of the Holy sepulchre at work will not give permission. The efforts of the Russian diplomacy coveted firman (decree) was received, the Church was consecrated on 22 may 1896.

Externally, the building is reminiscent of the neo-Baroque St. Petersburg building of the late XIX century, nothing suggests that here the temple is located. But the interior is great liturgical hall (height of 10 meters, a length of 22 meters) is impressive. Original decoration of the temple, eighteen large paintings devoted to the Passion of Christ. They are performed by a Professor of the Imperial Academy of arts Nikolai Koshelev. The artist worked on paintings depicting biblical scenes (from "agony" to "Descent into hell") for ten years.

Discovered by archaeologists in the ancient fragment threshold is covered by glass and surrounded by an openwork lattice. Orthodox tradition says that it was through the Threshold of the Judgment Gate, crossed, going to execution, Jesus Christ. Near the door on the wall – twenty-three black marble plaque with the names of donors who contributed to the construction and decoration of the temple. Gold written out the names of Emperor Alexander III, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, widow from Penza Maria Kiseleva, chief Procurator Konstantin Pobedonostsev. On the adjacent wall – nearly two-meter magnificent Kyoto pink marble with the icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Compound stores pictorial sketch "carrying the cross" painted by Ilya Repin, he presented to the Church in 1898.

Beyond the threshold of the Judgment Gate is output on a Russian street. Here is a small belfry, the bells of which before obtaining a building permit for the temple secretly, at night, was carried from Jaffa to Jerusalem. Close to the Church is adjoined by a small room of the Museum, which stores found during excavations exhibits: ancient lamps, coins. Here is the real iron chains, ecclesiastical vestments.