The Holy mountain that separates the Old city from the Judean desert, took its name from the olive groves, which in ancient times were strewn all its slopes. This is one of the most famous places in the surroundings of Jerusalem mentioned in the Bible. Mount of olives is sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims.

First mountain is mentioned in the old Testament as the place where king David fled from his rebellious son Absalom. On the Western slope and now stands the monumental tomb of Absalom, a reminder of this tragic history. Nearby are the ancient tombs of Zechariah and Bnei-Hezir, and around – about 150 thousand graves huge Jewish cemetery, which is more than 3 thousand years. The Jews always wanted to bury their loved ones on the mount of olives, as it is believed that there will be a resurrection of the dead, here comes the Messiah: "And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the East of the city" (Ezek 11:23), "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of olives, which is before Jerusalem on the East; and the mount of olives will be split from East to West a very great valley and half of the mountain will go to the North and half of it toward the South" (Zech 14:4).

Among those who found eternal peace on the mount of olives, – the Prime Minister of Israel Menachem begin, the father of modern Hebrew, Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the media Mogul Robert Maxwell, a Rabbi and a major public figure of the early XX century, Abraham Isaac Kook, Rabbi Shlomo mountain, protrusive in ritual horn shofar at the wailing Wall, Israeli soldiers liberated during the six day war of 1967.

For Christians, the mount of olives is associated with many episodes from the New Testament: here Jesus taught the people, crying about the future of Jerusalem, prayed before his arrest, met the betrayal of Judas after his resurrection ascended into heaven.

The ascension of Jesus (which recognize and Muslims) are devoted to interfaith chapel, Lutheran Church and a Russian Orthodox monastery. In the garden of Gethsemane are ancient olive trees, the descendants of those trees, he saw the agony on the night of Jesus arrest. Nearby Catholic Basilica of the Agony keeps a piece of the rock, where, according to legend, and there was agony in the garden, and in the grotto of Gethsemane, the pilgrims recall the kiss of Judas. Near the cave is the Greek Orthodox Church of the Dormition – Eastern Christians it is a place revered as the tomb of the virgin Mary.

Of course, tourists get tired of exploring the mountain, the height of the three peaks which ranges from 800 meters (the highest point in the Northern part, where is the main campus of Hebrew University – 826 meters). Sightseers with pleasure have a rest on the observation deck near the hotel "Seven arches". It offers a magnificent view. Behind the back is the convent of the Pater Noster, on the slope of the visible drop-shaped Church of Tears of the Lord, burning gold domes of the Russian Church of St. Mary Magdalene and the ancient Jewish cemetery, and in front stretches the Old town.