Alexander Nevsky Church: The Church with a Roman Arch
Originally published: July 2023 | Last updated: July 2025
The Alexander Nevsky Church, a Russian Orthodox marvel, is a testament to Jerusalem’s rich and diverse history. This architectural gem, built between 1896 and 1903, is named after the 13th-century Russian military leader, Alexander Nevsky, who expanded Russia’s borders and won the public’s admiration.
Credit Ian Scott, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Location
The Alexander Nevsky Church is situated in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. It is located near the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Historical Context and Architecture
The Alexander Nevsky Church’s history dates back to the mid-19th century. The property where the church stands was purchased in 1857 by the “Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society,” with the initial intention of building a hostel and a consulate for the many Russian pilgrims visiting Jerusalem at the time.
The church was named after Alexander Nevsky, a 13th-century Russian warrior-prince known for his victories against German and Swedish invaders. However, during the excavation conducted prior to the construction in 1883, significant archaeological remains were discovered, leading to a change in plans. The findings were so significant that the intended consulate and hostel were built outside the city walls at a site known today as “The Russian Compound,” while the Alexander Nevsky site was designated as a church, although it serves more as an archaeological and relics exhibit.
The site within the Old City was reserved for a church and archaeological museum, preserving the treasures that had been found. Funded by Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich and supported by other prominent Russian figures, the Alexander Nevsky Church became both a place of worship and a showcase for the remarkable “Russian Excavations.”
This was no mere religious project. In the 19th century, Russia was deeply invested in expanding its influence in the Holy Land through religious, cultural, and political channels. By acquiring land in Jerusalem and building churches and institutions, Russia sought to secure a spiritual foothold—and a measure of geopolitical sway—among Christians in the Middle East.
At the entrance to the Alexander Nevsky Church, the symbol of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society is displayed on top of the building. This is the institution that established the Russian institutions during the Ottoman era. This symbol contains the Greek letters Xi and Ro, the initials of the word “Xristos”, which means messiah in Greek. The society’s flag waves on top of the building alongside the Russian flag, symbolizing the church’s historical ties to Russia.
Archaeological Findings at the Alexander Nevsky Church
The construction of the Alexander Nevsky Church led to the unearthing of several significant archaeological findings that provide a window into Jerusalem’s past.
Excavations beneath the Alexander Nevsky Church opened a fascinating window into Jerusalem’s layered past. Here’s what lies under its floors:
Hadrian’s Arch and Roman Forum
- A grand stone arch, known as a “victory arch,” was built during Emperor Hadrian’s reign in the 2nd century AD. It’s one of four arches Hadrian constructed in Jerusalem, including the famous Ecce Homo Arch on top of the Via Dolorosa.
- Beneath this arch, remnants of a Roman forum—the bustling center of civic life—were unearthed. The stones beside the arch mark an entrance into Hadrian’s main forum.
Walls of from the time of King Herod and the Threshold of Judgment Gate
- Archaeologists uncovered massive walls from Herod’s time (late 1st century BC). Given the church’s proximity to Calvary (the Golgotha in Greek, or Calvary in Latin), it had been argued that the opening between the walls was the Threshold of Judgment Gate, which marked the edge of the city walls in the time of Christ. While tradition holds that Jesus was led through this gate on his way to crucifixion, scholars agree the wall and arch beneath the Alexander Nevsky Church aren’t from Jesus’s time or any ancient city gate, but the structure’s true date remains debated. The pilaster wall is especially puzzling, as its design resembles the foundations of Herod’s Temple, though there’s no evidence of any Herodian public building in this part of Jerusalem.
- A tiny hole in the wall, nicknamed the “Eye of the Needle,” is said to guarantee a place in heaven for anyone who squeezes through it.
- The gate earned its name because Roman officials would read out death sentences there and hang written notices of crimes around the necks of those condemned.
- A Crucifix fixed on a large stone from Calvary. Below it, enclosed by a wooden frame and covered with glass, is a stone of an ancient road on which Jesus may have walked as he exited the city walls to his crucifixion at Calvary.
Remains of Constantine’s Basilica
- A striking black stone column, once part of the original entrance to the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, was discovered. The stone’s foreign origin suggests it was brought from afar to mark a significant place.
- One of the highlights of this church is a column that was part of the main entrance to the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre built by Constantine the Great in 330 AD. In Roman times, the main entrance to the basilica was part of the Roman Cardo Maximus. The column is unique as it is made of black stone, which is not available in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Because of this, archeologists concluded that this stone was brought from a distance to mark an important place.
- Similar black columns can be spotted at Station 7 on the Via Dolorosa and in the Cardo excavation in the Jewish Quarter.
The Mysterious Pilaster Wall
- Inside the chapel lies the base of a 10-meter wall decorated with pilasters (flat columns).
- The wall’s design resembles the style of Herod’s Temple, but scholars disagree about its exact date and purpose. Some suggest it belonged to Hadrian’s Roman temples; others believe it was repurposed from earlier Herodian structures.
- A recent theory (Gibson, 2024) proposes the wall was part of Constantine’s Holy Sepulchre complex, intentionally built to resemble Herodian architecture. However, this idea is still debated among historians.
Additional Information
Roman and Byzantine Periods (1st Century AD – 7th Century AD):
- 1st Century AD (Time of Christ):Remains of massive walls from the time of King Herod are present at the Alexander Nevsky Church site.
- A stone of an ancient road, possibly walked by Jesus on his way to crucifixion, is present at the Alexander Nevsky Church site.
- 2nd Century AD:Emperor Hadrian builds a “victory arch” at the Alexander Nevsky Church site, one of four in Jerusalem (including the Ecce Homo Arch).
- Remnants of a Roman forum built during Hadrian’s time are present under the Alexander Nevsky Church.
- 4th Century AD:AD 330: Constantine the Great builds the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, with a main entrance on the Roman Cardo Maximus. A column made of black stone, part of this entrance, is found at the Alexander Nevsky Church site.
Ottoman and British Mandate Periods (16th Century – Mid-20th Century):
- 1847: The Russian Orthodox Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem is first opened.
- 1853-1856: Crimean War, leading to Russian defeat and a shift in power relations in the Orient.
- 1856:The land where the Alexander Nevsky Church stands is sold by the Ethiopian church to Russian senator Boris Mansurov.
- March 1, 1857: Prince Alexander Gorchakov drafts an instruction to the Head of the Jerusalem Mission, proposing to strengthen Russia’s position in the Orient through religious means.
- November 1859: Clearing of debris begins on the “Russian domain.”
- April 11, 1861: Grand Duke Constantine orders the purchase of land next to the Holy Sepulchre.
- March 1883: Vasily Khitrovo proposes scholarly research in the Holy Land and excavations on the “Russian domain” near the Holy Sepulchre. Grand Duke Sergei offers funding.
- 1883: Excavations begin at the site of the Alexander Nevsky Church, attracting worldwide attention and leading to the discovery of the “Judgement Gate” threshold and Constantine’s 4th-century church remains.
- January 2, 1884: Grand Duke Sergei declares the high success of the excavations, including finding traces of the Second Wall and the Gate to Golgotha.
- 1887: A firman (Sultan’s decree) is granted for construction, though work was already underway
- 1891: The Alexander Nevsky Church building is consecrated by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin).
- November 27, 1894: The Palestine Society proposes consecrating the church to Saint Alexander Nevsky in memory of the late Tsar Alexander III.
- 1896-1903: The Alexander Nevsky Church is built.
Nearby Sites
- Church of the Redeemer: Just around the corner from the Alexander Nevsky Church, this Lutheran church offers a stunning view of Jerusalem from its bell tower.
- Via Dolorosa: This path, marked by 14 Stations of the Cross, is believed to be the route Jesus took on his way to crucifixion.
- Church of the Flagellation: Located near the start of the Via Dolorosa, this Roman Catholic church commemorates the spot where Jesus Christ was flogged by Roman soldiers before his journey carrying the cross.
- Moristan: This is a complex of streets and shops in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. It was the location of the first hospital of the Knights Hospitaller.
- Jaffa Gate: One of the seven main open gates in Jerusalem’s Old City Walls.
