Hebron, Palestine
Cave of the Patriarchs
The cave Abraham bought as a family grave. People have prayed here for thousands of years.
Biblical significance
The Machpelah cave was bought by Abraham as a grave for Sarah — the first land the patriarchs owned. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebekah and Leah are all said to lie beneath. Herod the Great walled the site in colossal masonry that still stands unbroken after two thousand years, making it the oldest continuously used place of prayer on earth, sacred to Jews and Muslims alike and divided between them since 1994.
Scripture
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Best time to go
Spring or autumn; avoid major festival days when access changes.
Visitor notes
In central Hebron, reached from Jerusalem in about an hour. The building is split into synagogue and mosque sections with separate entrances and security checks; modest dress required.
Coordinates
31.5246, 35.1107
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