View from within one of the rock cut chambers looking up at the ancient stair that led down to this area. Note how the floor level has been lowered by about 10 ft. [3 m.].
Supposedly the church is build over/near the house of Caiaphas the High Priest, before whom Jesus was questioned. According to tradition, Jesus was imprisoned here during that time and later Peter and John were imprisoned here as well (Acts 5).
The caves/chambers evidently date to the Second Temple Period.