Looking almost as though it might wobble from its rocky perch, St Peter of Gallicantu 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). Views of the City of David and the Palestinian village of Silwan are breathtaking.
Built on the foundations of previous Byzantine and Crusader churches, the modern structure's bulging domes and broad arches (completed in 1930) were built with an eye to Byzantine style. The church interior has some unusual stained glass windows; below, the foundations and mosaics of earlier churches (including the site where three Byzantine-era crosses were found) are exposed. The site is managed by a French Catholic order.
Reach the church 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.
