Tomb of Zechariah and Bnei Hezir - grandiose monuments of antiquity located in the Kidron Valley at the foot of the Mount of Olives. They are next to the Tomb of Absalom, just south of it. Most often, tourists wheeling past, but for the person who is interested in the history of Israel, the view from the tour bus is not enough: here is to come on foot and explore everything close.

Resting on the edge of a large Jewish cemetery tomb of Zechariah is a monolith, it is carved out of solid rock and contains the burial chamber. On the basis of the three-stage typical of Greek architecture is stylobate with Ionic half-columns, and at the top of the monument, on the ledge in the Egyptian style, towering pyramid. On the other side of the tomb it looks gross deficiencies: it seems that the work on its decoration was interrupted suddenly.

Tradition connects the monument with the name of the Old Testament prophet Zechariah, who was killed by the people: "And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord? not prosper; because ye have forsaken the LORD, and he will forsake you. And they conspired against him and stoned him with stones at the command of the king [Joash], the court of the house of the Lord "(2 Chronicles 24: 20-21).

However, documentary evidence as to where the prophet is buried, there is not, no body could not contain the tomb because that is a monolith, and archaeologists date it I century, and Zacharias lived much earlier. It seems more logical version, on which the facility - is the Nefesh (Jewish tombstones) located next to the complex of burial caves Bnei Hezir.

Tomb of Bnei Hezir ("sons Hezir") have been used by several generations of a wealthy family of priests. Influence of Ancient Greece is clearly seen in the architecture of the facade: there are Doric columns, frieze and cornice. The inscription in Hebrew listed family members buried here Hezir. The corridor leads to the burial room, and connect the special stage with grave tomb of Zechariah.

Jewish tradition also says that in these caves lived Sequestered from his illness Azariah king: "And the LORD smote the king, and he was a leper until the day of his death, and lived in a separate house" (4Tsar 15: 5). Christian tradition also believes that in the tomb of Bnei Hezir after the crucifixion of Jesus and the apostle James was hiding right here it was the risen Christ.