It is now recommended to take a rest and a drink at one of the many cafés in and around Suq Aftimos, then head to St. John the Baptist Church, characterized by its silver dome, a few meters from the Suq Aftimos fountain to the southwest. This church is located at the eastern side of the southern sector of the Christian Quarter street, near the road leading to Bab al-Khalil (Jaffa Gate). Its humble entrance is not indicative of what is inside, leading to a few steps and arriving at an open courtyard at the church entrance. The church dates back to the 5th century AD, and its plan includes a long narthex and three angles from the eastern, southern and northern sides. The church was demolished during the Persian war in 614 AD, and was rebuilt and renovated by John, the Patriarch of Alexandria. The present façade and the two small bell towers date back to the Franks era, with the church renovated by the traders of the Italian city of Amalfi in the 11th century AD. The church was a center for , a Crusader knights (Hospitalers) , and is presently under the guardianship of the Greek Orthodox Church. Its silver domes can be seen from Suq Aftimos and elsewhere in the Old City.
