Mount Zion is not just a hill near the Old town. For Jews it is a sacred place (no wonder his name did the word "Zionism", meaning the movement for the revival of national consciousness and the creation of a Jewish state in the Promised Land). The events considered here gospel events (the last Supper, the interrogation of Jesus Christ the high priest Caiaphas, the descent of the Holy spirit, assumption of Mary, the first Church Council) do mount Zion sacred for Christians. Muslims also revere the local shrines.

Building on top of the mountain unites the three religions: it houses the tomb of king David, the Cenacle and on the roof is left from the mosque's minaret. King David is revered in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, probably in the year 1000 BC, conquered the territory of the Jebusites, and placed the ark of the Covenant on mount Zion. At different times, Zion called different hills, including the temple mount. Gradually the name became a symbol. The prophet Isaiah addressed to Jerusalem: "... and they shall call thee the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy one of Israel" (Isaiah 60: 14). And the Psalm reads: "out of Zion, which is the Acme of beauty, God" (PS 49:2).

In Zion is actually located and the Old town, its southern wall runs along the top of the mountain. The legend tells that the Turkish conqueror Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538 started the reconstruction of the city walls. Two architects in error moved the wall to the North, leaving the tomb of king David on the outside, without protection. Sultan furious beheaded architects. They say that their graves are in the inner yard of Jaffa gate.

In the modern history of Israel Zion played a big role. In the Arab-Israeli war in 1948, the mount was an important strategic point. Until 1967, while East Jerusalem was under control of Jordan, at Zion, pilgrims arrived from all over the world: from the roof of the building with the tomb of king David seen the Temple mount and Western Wall, and the Jews could at least look at their Holy sites. On the roof even has a small room of the second President of Israel, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi is now a tiny Museum.

Now mount Zion is a popular tourist place. To walk here in the heat is difficult: it is helpful to wear comfortable shoes and take plenty of water. But it's worth it.

In the North of the magnificent Basilica of the Abbey of the Dormition is adjacent to the Armenian monastery of the Holy Savior. Explore the tombs of the Armenian patriarchs interesting, but only go to them guided tours. At the nearby Franciscan monastery of tourists are not allowed at all. But you can visit the tomb of king David and the room of the last Supper, and the next – Chamber of the Holocaust. To the East of the Holocaust Museum is the cemetery with the grave of Oskar Schindler, the German who saved from death more than a thousand Jews. Art lovers can visit the Museum of Israeli sculptor David Palombo. On the Eastern slope, near St. Peter's Church in Gallicantu unearthed a stone staircase to the First Temple period. These degrees, which for thousands of years, remind tourists what ancient place they are.