Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre features a massive, weathered stone facade dominated by two arched doorways, one of which has been permanently walled shut since the twelfth century. This structure encloses the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. In eighteen fifty-two, a bitter dispute between rival denominations over who controlled which parts of the building led to the Status Quo decree, a rigid arrangement that remains in force today, dictating every sweep of a broom and inch of candle movement.