The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ

About

Though it’s been known since the early days of Christianity, the Baptism Site of Jesus Christ wasn’t excavated until 1996 - before that it had been a minefield guarding the border between Jordan and Israel. In that time over 20 Christian sites from the Roman and Byzantine periods have been discovered, including churches, a prayer hall, baptismal pools, and a sophisticated water reticulation system. The most famous of these is a small platform on the side of the Jordan river where John the Baptist performed his rituals, and baptized Jesus himself. There are also several modern churches on the site, including the opulent gold-domed Greek Orthodox Church of St John the Baptist.