Golgotha comes from the Aramaic word Igotha which means “skull”. The Latin word, “calva” which also means “skull” with is the basis for the word “Calvary” and thus the Hill of Calvary.
Golgotha/Calvary is then a skull shaped Hill that was the site of Jesus’ crucifixion as referred to the Gospels in the Bible. The Hill is outside the city walls of ancient Jerusalem and now in Jerusalem city proper.
The Hill is now located under the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where the tomb of Jesus is also located just north of the old Damascus Gate portion of the wall. The Romans chose this location for the crucifixion as it was a very public place, one where many would see the results of Roman rule.
Later in 135 A.D., Roman Emperor Hadrian covered the site of Golgotha with pavement and stone in order to bury the memory of Jesus forever.
In the third century, Emperor Constantine uncovered the Hill and built the first Church of the Holy Sepulcher to honor Jesus and his very own conversion to Christianity. The location has been visited by many emperors and kings, by poets and paupers throughout history.
