Fodor's Expert Review Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant Church

Built in 1924, this church is said to be on the site where the Ark of the Covenant remained for 20 years in the ancient town of Kiryat Yearim. A statue of Mary holding Jesus in her arms towers above the structure and can be seen across the village. The Byzantines built a church on the same site in the 5th century, and pieces of floor mosaic and other telltale leftovers give this sanctuary a patina far richer than its age. The church is on the property of the Notre Dame Arche D'Alliance monastery and is surrounded by gardens offering views of the village below. The church is closed for renovations through October 2023, but during this period, visitors are still allowed to tour the grounds and stay overnight in the 30-room guesthouse.