Cenacle, Religious site on Mount Zion, Jerusalem, Israel
The Cenacle is a pale-stone Gothic hall with pointed arches carried on clustered columns with plain capitals and square bases. A tall pointed-arch window with stained glass and a roundel pattern lights the room, and a small domed stone structure on pointed arches stands near a railed downward slope. The floor is paved in beige and pale-red square tiles.
The first church on this site was built in the fourth century, with different Christian communities taking charge of the hall over time. After the Ottoman conquest in the 16th century, the building was converted into a mosque and remained closed to Christian visitors for centuries.
The chamber takes its name from the belief that Jesus gathered here with his disciples for a final meal before his crucifixion. Pilgrims from many Christian denominations visit to remember these events and spend time in quiet reflection.
Access is through two separate entrances, depending on which sections of the complex visitors wish to see. Opening hours allow for daily visits, though groups often share the chamber with others and time inside may be limited depending on crowds.
The Cenacle occupies the upper floor of a building whose ground floor holds a niche traditionally identified as King David's tomb, marked by a cenotaph-sarcophagus dating to the 12th century. The two shrines share one structure on Mount Zion, and the room is administered by Israeli authorities.
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