King David's tomb is located on mount Zion, near the Benedictine Abbey of the Dormition. From the XII century, it is regarded as the burial place of the legendary biblical king.

King David is one of the most prominent figures of the old Testament, the image of the ideal ruler, of the kind which came with the prophesied Messiah, Jesus Christ. A simple shepherd David was anointed by the prophet Samuel's future Kingdom. Poet and musician, playing the harp he saved king Saul from the evil spirit. Brave warrior, he defeated the giant Goliath, in defeating a stone from a sling. Saul was jealous for the glory of David, the future king had to emigrate and even go on a service to their recent enemies, the Philistines. When Saul died, the tribe Udovo proclaimed him king of the Jews. After two years of civil war, the elders acknowledged David as king of all Israel.

David became a great king. He turned Jerusalem into a major religious center, placing the ark of the Covenant on mount Zion (the Jews were amazed witnessed the unprecedented spectacle of the king personally danced before the Ark, which was carried into the Tabernacle). David unites Israel, creating great power from Sinai to the Euphrates. He prepared the erection of the First Temple, leaving you with all of the blueprints and tools) to his son Solomon.

David was not a perfect man. He seduced the wife of his soldier Uriah Bathsheba and her husband were sent to certain death. Repenting of this sin, the king wrote a heartfelt penitential Psalm (fifties), who for millennia wash the soul – "have Mercy on me, o God, according to Thy great mercy...". The image of the ruler depicted in numerous works of art, the most famous of these is the sculpture of "David" by Michelangelo.

Died at the age of seventy years, the king was buried in Jerusalem, "the city of David". But on the exact place of his burial, scientists still argue.

The current tomb (perhaps the Cenotaph is located on the first floor of the building remaining from the medieval Church of Holy Zion. The burials were found in the XII century during the renovation of the temple. His story for the past since then eight centuries known bad, because there was ruled by the Persians, the crusaders, the soldiers of Saladin, the Ottoman Turks. The building is now part of the yeshiva (Jewish religious school). On the top floor of the room is considered to be the Cenacle. Even higher on the roof, stands a Muslim minaret.

In the years 1948 and 1967 when the Old city was occupied by Jordan, here flocked the Jewish pilgrims from around the world – view is not available on the Wailing Wall and pray. It was then (in 1949) the tomb was covered with velvet embroidered with yellow texts of the Torah. The premises of the tomb – a few quiet cool rooms with vaulted ceilings. All explanatory notes in Hebrew. Before the entrance to the tomb is a monument to king of Russian sculptors Alexander Demin and Oleksandr Ustenko.

Although the contents of the sarcophagus was never subjected to scientific analysis, the age-old tradition strongly connects it with the name of the legendary ruler, of the kind which was the Savior of the world.