Complex sentence: Since the large Church is located on a hill near the shore the building has been dominating the view of Jaffa from the sea and has thus served as a beacon, signaling to pilgrims that the Holy Land was near.
Split into simpler sentences: Since the large Church is located on a hill near the shore the building dominates the view of Jaffa from the sea. The Church has thus served as a beacon, signaling to pilgrims that the Holy Land was near.