A place on the map
For medieval travelers, the Holy Land meant roughly the region where the events of the Bible had taken place, centered on Jerusalem and extending to Galilee, the Jordan valley and the coast. It was both a real place that could be reached and a sacred one that could be imagined from a pulpit. This article is about the first: the destination itself and what it was like to go there. The beliefs behind it are covered elsewhere.
The main sites
Jerusalem was the chief goal. Its Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the traditional sites of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus, was the focus of most visits. Pilgrims also visited the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Via Dolorosa, as later tradition came to call the route of the Passion, though the details of such routes developed over time.
Bethlehem was the other key stop, with the Church of the Nativity. Visitors went on to the Jordan River, where many wished to bathe or collect water, and to Nazareth, Mount Tabor and the Sea of Galilee. Other places of interest included Hebron and the monasteries of Sinai and the Judean desert. The routes varied depending on who controlled the territory and on the pilgrim’s means and time.
Getting there
Most pilgrims from Western Europe reached the region by sea. Ports such as Venice were well known for pilgrim passage, and ships landed at coastal harbors such as Jaffa or Acre. Some made use of the old overland route through the Balkans and Anatolia, which was longer and less safe. The journey could take weeks or months, and pilgrims often traveled in groups for company and safety. Compare this with the shorter pilgrimages within Europe, such as the Camino de Santiago, which was far closer to home and far cheaper.
Under different rulers
Control of the land changed several times. Before 1099 it was ruled by Muslim dynasties, and Christian pilgrims continued to visit under those rulers, usually with some payment or permission. After the First Crusade, the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the other Crusader States made travel easier for Latin Christians, and pilgrim traffic seems to have grown. After 1187, access to Jerusalem was uneven. A treaty at the end of the Third Crusade allowed unarmed Christians to visit, and later agreements restored and then lost control of the city. Local Christians of various churches lived in the land throughout, and their shrines and communities were part of what visitors encountered.
Hospices and guides
Pilgrims depended on support. The Knights Hospitaller began as a hospice-keeping order in Jerusalem, caring for sick and weary visitors, and later became a military force as well. Other houses provided beds and food. Local guides, interpreters and boatmen charged for their services, and tolls and fees were common at some sites. Letters and travel accounts survive in which pilgrims describe what to see, though some are copied from earlier works.
Dangers
The journey was risky. Sea travel involved storms, overcrowded ships and the possibility of piracy. Illness was frequent, and many people were not used to the heat. Robbers worked the roads, including the road from Jaffa to Jerusalem, and in wartime travelers could be caught in the fighting. Some pilgrims paid for escorts. Others died on the way, and the likelihood of not returning home was one reason many pilgrims made their wills before leaving.
Relics, souvenirs and stories
Visitors came back with water from the Jordan, palm leaves and tokens from the shrines, and they often carried stories. The practice of taking home holy relics from the East was well known, though the authenticity of many items was disputed even at the time. Returning pilgrims were respected, and the title “palmer” was associated with those who had made the journey.
Why go
Pilgrims went for many reasons. Some went as penance for sins, some to fulfill a vow, some in thanks for a recovery and some from simple devotion. Seeing the places of Christ’s life was thought to have special spiritual value. The same sites were also important to Jews and Muslims, and Jerusalem was and is holy to all three faiths. This shared importance helps explain why the city was fought over so fiercely.