Jerusalem - Church of the Redeemer

On the eastern edge of the Muristan in Jerusalem is the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer. Consecrated by the German Emperor William II on Reformation Day in 1898, it occupies a site with a long tradition behind it. The ground was presented to Charlemagne by Caliph Haroun el-Rashid and it became the site of the church of St Mary of the Latins, which was destroyed by El-Hakim in 1009 and rebuilt later in the same century. In the course of the centuries it fell into ruin; then in 1868 the site was acquired by Prussia, and in 1893 the foundation stone of a new church was laid. It was designed to perpetuate the old western tradition in the immediate vicinity of the Holy Sepulcher and serve as the spiritual center of Protestantism in the Holy Land. Since then the church and adjoining buildings have been the seat of the Lutheran provostry of Jerusalem.

The simple interior was renovated some years ago. To the right of the entrance is the door to the tower, which is well worth climbing for the sake of the views it affords of the Old City and the Mount of Olives. Also of interest is the cloister, which incorporates some medieval architectural elements.