Baptism Site

Baptism Site

The archaeological site is located on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, nine kilometers north of the Dead Sea. It consists of two distinct areas: Tell Al-Kharrar, also known as Jabal Mar-Elias or Elijah's Hill, and the riverside area of the John the Baptist Churches. The place where Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by John the Baptist is believed to be located in an unspoiled natural environment. The religious character of the site is evidenced by Roman and Byzantine remains, among which are churches and chapels, a monastery, caves used by hermits, and pools where baptisms were performed. The site is a place of pilgrimage for the Christian faith. It is also known as Bethabara and historically as Bethany. Jabal Mar-Elias is strategically located between Jerusalem and the King's Highway, as recorded in the Book of Joshua, which describes the Israelites crossing the Jordan River there. It is also traditionally considered the site of the prophet Elijah's ascension to heaven. After the Six Day War in 1967, when both banks of the Jordan River became part of the front line, the entire area was abandoned. At that time, the area was severely mined. Following the signing of the Israeli-Jordanian Peace Treaty in 1994, the Jordanian Prince Ghazi spearheaded the demining of the site. Since then, the site has been the site of several archaeological digs and has been visited by three popes and many world leaders. Nowadays, it continues to attract tourists and pilgrims. With the exception of the western side of the river, the site was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2015.