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MOUNT GEREZIM & MOUNT EBAL

June 26, 2016 By Howard Kramer 2 Comments

Israel/Palestine (881 m, 940 m) – Biblical Hills Surrounding Shechem Mount Zion and Mount Ebal are two hills around which much of ancient Israel’s history revolved.  Once sacred to all the descendants of Abraham, Gerezim and Ebal became the center of religious life for the Northern Kingdom after the division, and remained sacred to the group which later became known as the … [Read more...]

SIDNA ALI MOSQUE (MASJID SIDNA ALI)

April 14, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Jaffa, Palestine The Masjid Sidna Ali is one of the oldest surviving mosques in Palestine.  Built on the site of a bloody battle between the armies of Saladin and Christian Crusaders, it is one of the last remaining 13th century Mamluk constructions in the region.  It is also the location of the tomb of Al-Hasan ibn Ali, a direct descendent of Umar, the second caliph.  After … [Read more...]

UMAYYAD CASTLES (QASR AL-HEER AL-SHARQI, QASAR HISHAM, QASR AMRA)

April 14, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Several Locations, Palestine, Jordan & Syria The Umayyads were well known as prolific builders, especially in and around their capital city of Damascus.  Taking advantage of the construction expertise of local Byzantine architects and masons, the Umayyads dotted the region with dozens of palaces and castles.  While few of these early medieval structures are still standing, … [Read more...]

RUINS OF THE WHITE MOSQUE

April 14, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Ramla, Palestine The White Mosque of Ramla was once considered to be one of the wonders of Islam.  Originally completed during the same era as the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, it was one of the three great pilgrimage mosques built by the Umayyad’s in the Holy Land.  Unfortunately, time, geography, war and the elements have not been kind to the White Mosque, and all that … [Read more...]

AL-AQSA MOSQUE (MASJID AL-AQSA) & DOME OF THE ROCK

April 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Jerusalem, Palestine Among the defining moments of the life of the Prophet Muhammad was his fabled night-journey to Jerusalem.  In the course of a single evening, Muhammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem, and from there to Heaven, where he subsequently spoke with Abraham, Moses and Jesus.  Specifically, the tradition of the Prophet’s journey only refers to his visit to ‘the … [Read more...]

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

August 13, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

DEAD SEA SCROLLS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE

Qumran, Palestine In 1947, a Beduoin shepherd seeking some stray sheep accidentally stumbled upon one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time: a series of caves containing an astonishing collection of ancient scrolls, including some of the earliest known editions of several books of the Hebrew Bible.  These writings, now collectively known as the Dead Sea … [Read more...]

BETAR FORTRESS

August 13, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

BETAR FORTRESS

Battir, Palestine The fortress of Masada has long been honored as the place where the Jewish rebels of the Great Revolt made their final, suicidal stand against the overwhelming forces of the Roman army.  However, it is a mistaken belief that Masada was the last vestige of a free and independent Judea.  That honor technically goes to the Betar Fortress, the site where the … [Read more...]

ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY OF HEROD

August 12, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY OF HEROD

Several Locations, Israel & Palestine Herod the Great, the notorious villain of the Christian Nativity Story and generally vilified by Jews and Christians alike, was also one of the most energetic kings and prolific builders in the entire history of ancient Judea.  His architectural achievements surpassed even those of Solomon, and a surprising number of his projects … [Read more...]

ANCIENT SAMARIA

August 12, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

ANCIENT SAMARIA

Sebastia, Palestine Samaria was an oddity among the ancient cities of Israel.  Unlike the countless other villages and small cities in its immediate vicinity, it never boasted a significant Israelite population, or even a noteworthy Canaanite population, prior to the division of the kingdom.  And yet in the period following the separation of Israel from Judea, Samaria soared … [Read more...]

VALLEY OF ELAH

August 8, 2014 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

VALLEY OF ELAH

Khirbet Qeiyafa, Palestine The history of the Israelites in ancient Canaan was one of nearly constant warfare.  But of the more than one-hundred battles discussed in the Hebrew Bible, none are better known or more proudly remembered than the Battle of Elah.  It was in this valley on the road from Bethlehem to Gath where the shepherd boy David challenged the mighty champion … [Read more...]

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THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

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Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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