Simon says: "Let's Tour!" - The Ratisbonne Monastery


The Ratisbonne Monastery: Faith, Learning & Legacy in the Heart of Jerusalem.


Behind the blue gates on Rehov Shmuel Hanagid stands one of Jerusalem’s most fascinating buildings; the Ratisbonne Monastery.

It was founded in 1874 by Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, a French Jewish banker who converted to Christianity after a powerful religious experience in Rome. Together with his brother Théodore, he established the Congregation of Our Lady of Sion, devoted to education & to fostering understanding between Christians & Jews.

🌿 The Land & Its Beginnings
The land for the monastery - then on the outskirts of 19th-century Jerusalem - was purchased by Alphonse Ratisbonne himself. He acquired it from local Arab owners during the period of Ottoman rule, choosing this elevated spot west of the Old City for its peace & distance from the crowded quarters within the walls. At the time, this was open countryside; the modern neighbourhood of Rehavia did not rise around it until decades later.

🏛️ A House of Study & Dialogue
Ratisbonne Monastery was built as a training & educational centre for young seminarians. Over the years it expanded to include a school, a printing press & a guesthouse. After 1948, it became a place of Catholic-Jewish encounter, & in 1972 the Pontifical Institute for Jewish Studies - now known as the Centre for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) - was established here by the Vatican.

🕊️ A Living Heritage
Today, the monastery complex serves as the Jerusalem Campus of the Salesian Pontifical University, continuing its mission of study, dialogue & bridge-building between faiths. Its tranquil courtyard, arched cloisters & distinctive blue shutters remain a quiet oasis amid the bustle of modern Jerusalem.

For visitors, Ratisbonne is an architectural gem, & a place where the story of Jerusalem’s diversity is written in stone: Jewish roots, Christian vision & a shared quest for understanding.



I’m a licensed tour guide with experience driving & guiding all over Israel in a comfortable 7-seater vehicle & I’m an accredited tour guide for Israel’s National Parks.


I’ve also been certified as the Amazon Tour Guide for online virtual tours in the North of Israel - as well as being a guide for cruise ship passengers coming into Haifa & Ashdod.

My price includes collection from and return to your location, snacks, water & a unique souvenir of your tour.

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Please don't hesitate to be in touch imagineisrael8@gmail.com, or by phone/WhatsApp +972 54 2390412 if I can help plan your visit.

photo credit: Sasson Tiram

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