The Monastery of the Temptation clings to the cliff face of the Mount of Temptation, 350 metres above the Jordan Valley, in one of the most dramatically situated religious sites in the Holy Land. The Greek Orthodox monastery commemorates the forty days that Christ spent fasting and being tempted by Satan, as described in the Gospels.
A cable car built in 1998 runs from Tell es-Sultan up to the monastery level, making it accessible without a strenuous climb. The views from the monastery across the Jordan Valley are extraordinary on clear days — the Dead Sea shimmers in the distance, and on very clear days you can see the hills of Jordan beyond. The cable car itself is worth taking for the panorama alone.
The monastery is an active religious house managed by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and a small number of monks live here. Visitors are welcome in the parts open to the public; dress modestly.