Nabi Samwill - Nabi Samuel (The Prophet Samuel)

Nabi Samwill - Nabi Samuel (The Prophet Samuel)

Nabi Samwill or Nabi Samuel is the traditional tomb of Prophet Samuel. From the roof of the mosque one can have a magnificent panoramic view of Jerusalem with the cities of Ramallah and Al Bireh and their many historic villages in the foreground. On a clear day, both the Mediterranean and the mountains of Jordan can be visible.

The place was badly damaged by Turkish shells in 1917, but the edifice was restored during the British Mandate. The mosque can be visited all day except during times of prayer. From the annex along the north side, steps lead down to a crypt which is a rock-cut tomb. This tomb may have been at the origin of the tradition of Samuel's burial. It must have been transformed into a crypt in the Byzantine period, a role it retained in the Crusader church.