Step by Step: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The most holy site in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre commemorates the traditional location of Jesus’s death and resurrection. Undergoing several major phases of construction, what began as a place of execution and burial has been transformed into a magnificent, complex church over the centuries. The current church joins together 22 chapels, five Stations of the Cross, a crypt, and numerous other features.
Following his archaeological investigation in the Holy Sepulchre between 1960 and 1981, Father Virgilio Corbo reconstructed plans of the church. Here, we feature his plans of the Constantinian Church of the Resurrection from the fourth century A.D., the Church of the Resurrection following its reconstruction in the 11th century, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre following the changes made during the reign of the Crusader kings in the 12th century. This final renovation has stood the test of time and—for the most part—is what visitors to the church see today.