Baptism in the Jordan River – a unique and unforgettable experience at Yardenit the official Baptismal site in the Holy Land.

Yardenit is situated on the banks of the Jordan River, at the Southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. Each year we welcome over half a million tourists and pilgrims, who come to experience the tranquility and spiritual beauty of the waters in which Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus practiced and preached across this part of the Holy Land which hosts a plethora of sites with biblical significance.

Yardenit provides pilgrims and tourists with modern comforts in the biblical setting of the Holy Land, offering a serene and spiritual setting for those wishing to baptize in the River Jordan:

“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove, and a voice came from heaven; ‘Thou art my beloved Son, with thee I am well pleased.” Mark 1:9-11

Visitors to Yardenit are greeted by this very verse from Mark’s account of the baptism of Jesus in over 80 languages and dialects, depicted in hand painted tiles by Armenian artist Hagop Antreassian on the Wall of New Life.

Entry to the site is free. Visitors may rent or purchase white baptism robes on site. There are quiet areas for group prayers and contemplation. We take pride in respecting the religious sensitivities of all our visitors. The river banks themselves retain their pastoral landscapes, with rich greenery and wildlife. Otters and fish swim freely in the river.

The site has handrails and wheelchair-accessible ramps leading into the river. The waters are constantly monitored for quality and safety.

Opening Hours

Summer: March – November
Saturday – Thursday: 8:00am till 17:00pm (Baptism Ceremonies until 16:00pm)
Friday: 8:00am till 16:00pm (Baptism Ceremonies until 15:00 pm)
Please notice: Baptism can be done up to 1 hour prior to closing.

Winter: December – February
Saturday – Thursday: 8:00am till 17:00pm (Baptism Ceremonies until 16:00pm)
Friday: 8:00am till 16:00pm (Baptism Ceremonies until 15:00pm)
Please notice: Baptism can be done up to 1 hour prior to closing.

Over the years, Yardenit has welcomed many well known personalities, entertainers, religious leaders and leading politicians. An olive grove has been planted by some of these special visitors to commemorate their visit and to honor their communities and supporters can be found at the site.

The Yardenit gift shop holds a wide range of inspirational gifts, local products from the banks of the River Jordan; holy water, stones from the river bed, a range of Christian iconography, Christian  Bookstore,  religious artifacts, and other souvenirs from Israel. Some of these items are also available online at the Yardenit web-store. If you would like to purchase an item that you have seen at the store during your visit but can not find it online, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to check on availability.

Christian unity is prevalent from the moment you arrive at Yardenit. Visitors can’t help but notice the multitude of stone slabs on which the verse from Mark describing the baptism of Jesus is inscribed in many different languages.

Each section represents a different community from around the world, where visitors have come to Yardenit. The many panels of The Wall of New Life are dedicated to ‘Christians throughout the world, which at this place has followed their Savior through the waters of baptism’.

The panels were all individually hand made by the Armenian artist Hagop Anteassian, a resident of the Armenian Quarter in the Old City of Jerusalem. The verse from Mark which describes the baptism of Jesus is inscribed on each of them in a different language.

According to the Scriptures, when a Christian is baptized, they reckon with themselves and emerge from the water ‘alive to Christ’. For that reason the community wall of Christian faith has been called ‘The Wall of New Life’. Here old things become new; Christ changes the old for new and always gives abundant life. After baptism, one becomes a new person, walks in the newness of life, free to take Christ at his word and develop a relationship of love and trust that changes life from inside out.