The Garden Tomb is found close to the Damascus Gate outside the city walls of Jerusalem, and is a possible location for the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We used Google to ask the following :Date: 01-09-2026 – query: ‘garden tomb vs holy sepulchre’
‘Below we display the search results including ( if applicable ) our mark-ups in  ‘green italics‘

AI Results : 

What does the Bible say about the Garden Tomb?

In the gospels we read that “at the place where Jesus was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no-one had ever been laid” (John 19:41).

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is the ancient, traditional site for Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, deeply venerated by Orthodox and Catholic Christians but crowded and complex, while the Garden Tomb, outside the walls, offers a peaceful, Protestant-favored alternative, suggested by 19th-century scholars as matching the biblical description of a garden tomb near “Skull Hill” but with less historical backing for its authenticity as the tomb.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Traditional Site)

Location: Inside the Old City walls.
History: Tradition places it here since the 4th century; built over a quarry and later a Roman temple.
Atmosphere: Crowded, ritualistic, controlled by multiple denominations (Orthodox, Catholic) with many altars and chapels.
Case For: Strong, continuous tradition dating back centuries.
Case Against: Now inside the walls, unlike the biblical description.

Garden Tomb (Protestant Alternative)

Location: Outside the Old City walls, near a cliff resembling a skull (Gordon’s Calvary).
History: Proposed in the 1860s by General Charles Gordon; managed by a Protestant trust.
Atmosphere: Serene, quiet garden setting with outdoor worship spaces.
Case For: Fits the biblical description (outside walls, near a skull-like hill, garden setting).
Case Against: Archaeological evidence suggests the tomb is too old (Iron Age) to be Jesus’ new tomb.

Key Differences Summarized

Traditional vs. Modern Proposal: Holy Sepulchre is the long-standing tradition; Garden Tomb is a more recent Protestant proposal.
Location: Holy Sepulchre is inside the Old City; Garden Tomb is outside the walls.
Atmosphere: Holy Sepulchre is bustling and complex; Garden Tomb is peaceful and simple.
Denominational Control: Holy Sepulchre is shared by multiple denominations; Garden Tomb is managed by a Protestant trust, welcoming Protestants excluded from the Sepulchre

We have reviewed this Ai response and it appears in line with our understanding, which is limited to the study we have done over the years and we are not experts.  We are learning still as well always.