Erected by Crusaders two millennia after King David's death, this ground-floor tomb is of dubious authenticity but is nonetheless a holy place for Jews and Christians. The prayer hall is divided into sides for men and women, both leading to the velvet-draped tomb. Behind is an alcove believed to be a synagogue dating back to the 5th century CE.
The Bible references David's burial with his ancestors in the City of David (1 Kings 2:10), and most archaeologists and historians believe that it is likely that David is buried under the hill of the original Mt Zion, east of the City of David.
The tomb is off the courtyard in front of the Franciscan Monastery, which is accessed through a doorway on the left-hand side of the path into the main complex, past an arch and the stairway leading to the Room of the Last Supper.
