Talk:Abbey of Saint Mary of the Valley of Jehosaphat

What happened to it?

Why does the article say that it ‘was’ a church? There’s a modern photo in the article so it appears to still be there. GavinH (talk) 16:26, 23 November 2019 (UTC)

The curch is (whole? In part?), the abbey isn't. Arminden (talk) 16:14, 5 October 2023 (UTC)

Jehoshaphat, with sh

That's how Pringle calls it. Arminden (talk) 16:13, 5 October 2023 (UTC)

Missing topics

There is nothing useful in this or the (miserable) Tomb of Mary art. about the history of the Crusader buildings:

1. What did they inherit from before? What did they build? Was there, or did they actually build an upper church (Murphy-O'Connor says they did), or did they make do with cutting a stepped passage to the Byzantine crypt, adding just a small facade in front of the first step?
2. What did Saladin remove from the church itself, what not, and did he repurpose it, or keep it open for prayer for both Muslims and Christians?
3. Who (when) built the mihrab?
4. Was the still extant entrance with the mini-facade around it part of the Crusader upper church, or was it below the upper church? Was it always serving just as an entrance to the crypt/lower church? Where was the natural ground level in the 12th c. compared to today and to the 1st c.?
5. What were the "footprints" of the ancient churches vs the crypt's? Is anything known, have the various foundations been found?
6. What happened in 1187 and after to the Crusader structures apart from the church (the abbey compound)? What about the grotto?
7. Was there any 14th c. rebuilding by the Franciscans, or did they just refurbish & maybe reconsecrate?

Arminden (talk) 23:22, 5 October 2023 (UTC)