About Ecce Homo Arch

“Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” (John 19:5)

The Ecce Homo Arch is an impressive arch made of stone built over the Via Dolorosa street. ‘Ecce Homo’ means ‘Behold the Man’. Traditionally, it is believed to be the spot where the Roman governor Pontius Pilate uttered these words as he presented a scourged Jesus, bound and crowned with thorns, to a hostile mob. Soon after, Jesus carried His cross along the Via Dolorosa towards Golgotha and His crucifixion.

History of Arch

Archaeologists have proven that the arch was built after the times of Jesus. It was a Roman victory gateway with three arches, constructed in the 2^nd century CE during the reign of Emperor Hadrian. It was part of a larger complex of buildings in the area. Also known as the Hadrian’s Arch, it served as the entrance gate leading into the Forum of Aelia Capitolina.

Arch Today

Today, only the central arch is visible from the Via Dolorosa street. On both sides of the arch, there were smaller arches. The small northern arch was integrated into the adjacent Convent of the Sisters of Zion where the Struthion Pool was discovered. The southern arch has been destroyed.