Almost hidden by trees and the slope of the hill, this church occupies the site where Jesus is said to have been denied by his disciple Peter (Mark 14:66-72) – ‘before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice’ (Gallicantu means ‘cock crow’ in Latin). Built on the foundations of previous Byzantine and Crusader churches, the modern structure has a balcony with a magnificent view across to the City of David, the Palestinian village of Silwan and the three valleys that shape Jerusalem.
The church is reached by turning east as you descend the road leading from Mt Zion down and around to Sultan’s Pool. Roman steps lead down from the church garden to the Gihon Spring in the Kidron Valley.
