Tree of Zacchaeus / Sycamore Tree
The renowned Tree of Zacchaeus is a sycamore tree over 2,000 years old, located at Al-Jummezeh Square in the City Center of Jericho. According to the Gospel of Luke, the tax collector Zacchaeus climbed this tree to see Jesus as He passed through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, following an incident where Zacchaeus hosted Christ at his home.
This historic tree has long been a site of pilgrimage and tourism, continuing to attract visitors due to its religious and historical significance.
The tree is situated within the Russian Museum grounds in Jericho, which was established by the Russians in 2010. The land on which the museum is built was purchased from Monk Zakka in 1880. Following the 1917 revolution, the land was transferred to the Russian Mission in Jerusalem and later to the Russian government. After the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority, President Yasser Arafat formally recognized Russian ownership of the land in 2008.
Between June and September 2010, a Palestinian-Russian excavation team conducted salvage operations on the museum grounds. They discovered a mosaic floor in the northern part of the compound and uncovered structures and mosaic floors dating from the Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods. Evidence indicates that the site was also occupied during the Ayyubid, Crusader, and Ottoman periods.
The excavation revealed remains of a Byzantine church, highlighting Jericho's early role in Christianity. The findings are now displayed in the museum. Russian experts have examined the sycamore tree and confirmed its good condition following necessary care and pruning, noting that it continues to sprout new branches despite its slow growth.