Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 1:00 PM - 10:00 AM.
The tour must be arranged about a week in advance (need to coordinate with the museum in advance).
At the entrance to the Russian monastery "Ascension to Heaven".
The collection of Father Antonin Kapustin reflects his fascinating life story.The head of the Russian spiritual delegation to the Holy Land in the second half of the 19th century – who was not only a scholar, archaeologist and researcher, but also a compulsive collector of antiquities.
⬤ We will learn about the collection process, And the choice of objects For the collection and under what circumstances (sometimes in the style of Indiana Jones), during the construction of the Russian monastery on the Mount of Olives and those found afterwards.
⬤ Through the collection, we will also learn about other key figures in the antiques market. of the Holy Land in the second half of the 19th century
The collection is located in the "Father Antonin's Museum of Antiquities" on the Mount of Olives, which few know about, due to it being closed to visitors. Although it is possible through me to visit the hidden museum and get to know the man who created it.
This tour was born from my doctoral thesis on the personal collection of antiquities of Antonin Kapustin, which I completed in the Department of Archaeology at Bar Ilan University.
* Clicking on each section opens extended information.
The life story of Antonin Kapustin, head of the Russian Church delegation in Jerusalem, 1865-1894.
⬤ The creator of most of the Russian monasteries and churches in Israel.
⬤ Collector of antiquities, such as – inscription of Uzziah, King of Judah.
⬤ He has researched in depth holy places in Jerusalem and written many articles about them, such as: The Ancient Threshold in the Church of Alexander Nevsky.
⬤ A writer who wrote diaries, on a daily basis, describing daily life in Jerusalem, in the 19th century.
⬤ He was a friend of the researchers of the city of Jerusalem: Charles Clermont-Geneve, Conrad Schick, and William Moses Shapiro.
There are a lot of antiques in this house, and what's special here is that it's not an official museum, Therefore, the antiques are not separated behind glass, and we can hold many of the antiques in our hands, touch them, feel them, and see them up close!
Types of antiques we see in the house:
⬤ Glossary.
⬤ Statues.
⬤ Oil candles.
⬤ Various ancient writings / papyri.
⬤ Weapons.
⬤ Roman tiles.
⬤ Mummies.
⬤ Antiquities forgeries, such as the Shapira busts.
One of the burial tunnels of the Armenian monastery, which was located there in the seventh century.
⬤ We experienced an adventurous entry into the tunnel.
⬤ We will see the burial characteristics of monks from the seventh century.
⬤ We read from a mosaic with Armenian writings, at the entrance to the tunnel, the statement of the tomb builder.
⬤ Hear how this ancient cave was discovered.
⬤ Let's hear the story of the bell, a bell weighing 2 tons! A very interesting story.
⬤ From the observation deck we can see Ma'ale Adumim, the Dead Sea and the Judean Desert.
⬤ We will see the lives of the nuns in their daily lives.
Guide details:
Guide to historical sites and Doctor of Archaeology
◾️ Master's degree in philosophy at Yekaterinburg State University.
◾️Guide course.
◾️PhD from Bar Ilan University, "Jewish Antiquities in the Collection of Antonin Kapustin."
For the purpose of my research, I went to the archives of St. Petersburg University and read Kapustin's diaries there, and that's how I actually completed my doctoral research.
